Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher Education Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9177 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9177

To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act
to direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out
      a mentorship demonstration program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 8, 2026

 Ms. McClellan (for herself, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Foushee, Ms. Norton, and
  Ms. Ross) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
              Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act
to direct the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out
      a mentorship demonstration program, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Mentorship in STEM Higher
Education Act''.

SEC. 2. MENTORSHIP DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM; NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
              REPORTING.

    (a) Demonstration Program.--Section 10313(a) of the Research and
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18993) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Demonstration program.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Director may make awards,
                including through existing programs, on a competitive
                basis to eligible entities to carry out projects
                designed to improve mentorship practices and provide
                resources for faculty, graduate researchers, and
                postdoctoral researchers at the eligible entity,
                including with respect to--
                            ``(i) building and developing mentoring
                        skills in such researchers and faculty;
                            ``(ii) promoting evidence-based and
                        institutionalized mentorship at the eligible
                        entity;
                            ``(iii) researching methodologies for
                        improving mentorship;
                            ``(iv) training such researchers and
                        faculty in cultural competencies; and
                            ``(v) funding outreach related to such
                        projects.
                    ``(B) Application.--An eligible entity desiring an
                award under this subsection shall submit to the
                Director an application at such time, in such form, and
                containing such information as the Director may
                require.
                    ``(C) Special consideration.--In making awards
                under this subsection, the Director shall give special
                consideration to eligible entities that are--
                            ``(i) minority-serving institutions;
                            ``(ii) historically Black colleges and
                        universities;
                            ``(iii) Tribal Colleges or Universities;
                            ``(iv) rural-serving institutions of higher
                        education (as such term is defined in section
                        861(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
                        U.S.C. 1161q(b)));
                            ``(v) emerging research institutions; and
                            ``(vi) consortia that include institutions
                        described in clauses (i) through (v).
                    ``(D) Report.--Not later than 5 years after the
                date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Director
                shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and
                Technology and the Committee on Appropriations of the
                House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,
                Science, and Transportation and the Committee on
                Appropriations of the Senate a report that includes--
                            ``(i) an assessment, using qualitative or
                        quantitative metrics as determined by the
                        Director, of the effectiveness of the
                        demonstration program carried out under this
                        paragraph on increasing the quality of
                        mentorship in STEM education; and
                            ``(ii) if such assessment determines that
                        such program is effective, a plan to sustain
                        and permanently implement such program.
                    ``(E) Eligible entity defined.--For purposes of
                this paragraph, the term `eligible entity' means--
                            ``(i) an institution of higher education
                        (as such term is defined in section 101 of the
                        Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001));
                            ``(ii) a nonprofit organization; and
                            ``(iii) a consortium of entities described
                        in clauses (i) and (ii).
                    ``(F) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
                authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
                paragraph $5,000,000, for fiscal years 2027 through
                2031.''.
    (b) Misconduct Reporting Requirements.--Section 7009 of the America
COMPETES Act (42 U.S.C. 1862o-1) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs
        (3) and (4), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) institutional and agency reporting processes with
        respect to harassment, discrimination, and other forms of
        professional or scientific misconduct;''.
                                 <all>