[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 694 Engrossed in House (EH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 694
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To establish a digital and wireless network technology 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 ``Minority Serving Institution Digital
and Wireless Technology Opportunity Act of 2007''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.
Section 5 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980
(15 U.S.C. 3704) is amended by inserting the following after subsection
(b):
``(c) Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology
Opportunity Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a Minority
Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology Opportunity
Program to assist eligible institutions in acquiring, and
augmenting their use of, digital and wireless networking
technologies to improve the quality and delivery of educational
services at eligible institutions.
``(2) Authorized activities.--An eligible institution may
use a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract awarded under
this subsection--
``(A) to acquire equipment, instrumentation,
networking capability, hardware and software, digital
network technology, wireless technology, and
infrastructure to further the objective of the Program
described in paragraph (1);
``(B) to develop and provide training, education,
and professional development programs, including
faculty development, to increase the use of, and
usefulness of, digital and wireless networking
technology;
``(C) to provide teacher education, including the
provision of preservice teacher training and in-service
professional development at eligible institutions,
library and media specialist training, and preschool
and teacher aid certification to individuals who seek
to acquire or enhance technology skills in order to use
digital and wireless networking technology in the
classroom or instructional process, including
instruction in science, mathematics, engineering, and
technology subjects;
``(D) to obtain capacity-building technical
assistance, including through remote technical support,
technical assistance workshops, and distance learning
services; and
``(E) to foster the use of digital and wireless
networking technology to improve research and
education, including scientific, mathematics,
engineering, and technology instruction.
``(3) Application and review procedures.--
``(A) In general.--To be eligible to receive a
grant, cooperative agreement, or contract under this
subsection, an eligible institution shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require. Such application, at a minimum,
shall include a description of how the funds will be
used, including a description of any digital and
wireless networking technology to be acquired, and a
description of how the institution will ensure that
digital and wireless networking will be made accessible
to, and employed by, students, faculty, and
administrators. The Secretary, consistent with
subparagraph (C) and in consultation with the advisory
council established under subparagraph (B), shall
establish procedures to review such applications. The
Secretary shall publish the application requirements
and review criteria in the Federal Register, along with
a statement describing the availability of funds.
``(B) Advisory council.--The Secretary shall
establish an advisory council to advise the Secretary
on the best approaches to encourage maximum
participation by eligible institutions in the program
established under paragraph (1), and on the procedures
to review proposals submitted to the program. In
selecting the members of the advisory council, the
Secretary shall consult with representatives of
appropriate organizations, including representatives of
eligible institutions, to ensure that the membership of
the advisory council includes representatives of
minority businesses and eligible institution
communities. The Secretary shall also consult with
experts in digital and wireless networking technology
to ensure that such expertise is represented on the
advisory council.
``(C) Review panels.--Each application submitted
under this subsection by an eligible institution shall
be reviewed by a panel of individuals selected by the
Secretary to judge the quality and merit of the
proposal, including the extent to which the eligible
institution can effectively and successfully utilize
the proposed grant, cooperative agreement, or contract
to carry out the program described in paragraph (1).
The Secretary shall ensure that the review panels
include representatives of minority serving
institutions and others who are knowledgeable about
eligible institutions and technology issues. The
Secretary shall ensure that no individual assigned
under this subsection to review any application has a
conflict of interest with regard to that application.
The Secretary shall take into consideration the
recommendations of the review panel in determining
whether to award a grant, cooperative agreement, or
contract to an eligible institution.
``(D) Information dissemination.--The Secretary
shall convene an annual meeting of eligible
institutions receiving grants, cooperative agreements,
or contracts under this subsection to foster
collaboration and capacity-building activities among
eligible institutions.
``(E) Matching requirement.--The Secretary may not
award a grant, cooperative agreement, or contract to an
eligible institution under this subsection unless such
institution agrees that, with respect to the costs
incurred by the institution in carrying out the program
for which the grant, cooperative agreement, or contract
was awarded, such institution shall make available,
directly, or through donations from public or private
entities, non-Federal contributions in an amount equal
to one-quarter of the grant, cooperative agreement, or
contract awarded by the Secretary, or $500,000,
whichever is the lesser amount. The Secretary shall
waive the matching requirement for any institution or
consortium with no endowment, or an endowment that has
a current dollar value lower than $50,000,000.
``(F) Awards.--
``(i) Limitation.--An eligible institution
that receives a grant, cooperative agreement,
or contract under this subsection that exceeds
$2,500,000 shall not be eligible to receive
another grant, cooperative agreement, or
contract.
``(ii) Consortia.--Grants, cooperative
agreements, and contracts may only be awarded
to eligible institutions. Eligible institutions
may seek funding under this subsection for
consortia which may include other eligible
institutions, a State or a State education
agency, local education agencies, institutions
of higher education, community-based
organizations, national nonprofit
organizations, or businesses, including
minority businesses.
``(iii) Planning grants.--The Secretary may
provide funds to develop strategic plans to
implement such grants, cooperative agreements,
or contracts.
``(iv) Institutional diversity.--In
awarding grants, cooperative agreements, and
contracts to eligible institutions, the
Secretary shall ensure, to the extent
practicable, that awards are made to all types
of institutions eligible for assistance under
this subsection.
``(v) Need.--In awarding funds under this
subsection, the Secretary shall give priority
to the institution with the greatest
demonstrated need for assistance.
``(G) Annual report and evaluation.--
``(i) Annual report required from
recipients.--Each institution that receives a
grant, cooperative agreement, or contract
awarded under this subsection shall provide an
annual report to the Secretary on its use of
the grant, cooperative agreement, or contract.
``(ii) Independent assessment.--Not later
than 6 months after the date of enactment of
this subsection, the Secretary shall enter into
a contract with the National Academy of Public
Administration to conduct periodic assessments
of the program. The Assessments shall be
conducted once every 3 years during the 10-year
period following the enactment of this
subsection. The assessments shall include an
evaluation of the effectiveness of the program
in improving the education and training of
students, faculty and staff at eligible
institutions that have been awarded grants,
cooperative agreements, or contracts under the
program; an evaluation of the effectiveness of
the program in improving access to, and
familiarity with, digital and wireless
networking technology for students, faculty,
and staff at all eligible institutions; an
evaluation of the procedures established under
paragraph (3)(A); and recommendations for
improving the program, including
recommendations concerning the continuing need
for Federal support. In carrying out its
assessments, the National Academy of Public
Administration shall review the reports
submitted to the Secretary under clause (i).
``(iii) Report to congress.--Upon
completion of each independent assessment
carried out under clause (ii), the Secretary
shall transmit the assessment to Congress along
with a summary of the Secretary's plans, if
any, to implement the recommendations of the
National Academy of Public Administration.
``(H) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(i) Digital and wireless networking
technology.--The term `digital and wireless
networking technology' means computer and
communications equipment and software that
facilitates the transmission of information in
a digital format.
``(ii) Eligible institution.--The term
`eligible institution' means an institution
that is--
``(I) a historically Black college
or university that is a part B
institution, as defined in section
322(2) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)), an
institution described in section
326(e)(1)(A), (B), or (C) of that Act
(20 U.S.C. 1063b(e)(1)(A), (B), or
(C)), or a consortium of institutions
described in this subparagraph;
``(II) a Hispanic-serving
institution, as defined in section
502(a)(5) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5));
``(III) a tribally controlled
college or university, as defined in
section 316(b)(3) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059c(b)(3));
``(IV) an Alaska Native-serving
institution under section 317(b) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059d(b));
``(V) a Native Hawaiian-serving
institution under section 317(b) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1059d(b)); or
``(VI) an institution of higher
education (as defined in section 365 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1067k)) with an enrollment of
needy students (as defined in section
312(d) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(d))).
``(iii) Institution of higher education.--
The term `institution of higher education' has
the meaning given the term in section 101 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001).
``(iv) Local educational agency.--The term
`local educational agency' has the meaning
given the term in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(v) Minority business.--The term
`minority business' includes HUBZone small
business concerns (as defined in section 3(p)
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(p))).
``(vi) Minority individual.--The term
`minority individual' means an American Indian,
Alaskan Native, Black (not of Hispanic origin),
Hispanic (including persons of Mexican, Puerto
Rican, Cuban and Central or South American
origin), or Pacific Islander individual.
``(vii) State.--The term `State' has the
meaning given the term in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7801).
``(viii) State educational agency.--The
term `State educational agency' has the meaning
given the term in section 9101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7801).''.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Commerce to carry out section 5(c) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology
Innovation Act of 1980--
(1) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal
years 2009 through 2012.
Passed the House of Representatives September 4, 2007.
Attest:
Clerk.
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 694
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To establish a digital and wireless network technology program, and for
other purposes.