[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 694 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 694
To establish a digital and wireless network technology program, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 24, 2007
Mr. Towns (for himself, Mr. Forbes, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas,
Mr. Gordon of Tennessee, Mr. Payne, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr.
Hinojosa, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, and Mrs. Drake) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science and
Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of
the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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
(f):
``(g) Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology
Opportunity Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the Under
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 Under Secretary at such time, in
such manner, and containing such information as the
Under 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 Under Secretary, consistent with
subparagraph (C) and in consultation with the advisory
council established under subparagraph (B), shall
establish procedures to review such applications. The
Under 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 Under Secretary shall
establish an advisory council to advise the Under
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
Under 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 Under 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
Under 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 Under 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 Under
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 Under 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 Under
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 Under 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 Under Secretary, or $500,000, whichever is the
lesser amount. The Under 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 Under
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 Under
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 Under 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 Under 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 Under 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 Under Secretary under clause
(i).
``(iii) Report to congress.--Upon
completion of each independent assessment
carried out under clause (ii), the Under
Secretary shall transmit the assessment to
Congress along with a summary of the Under
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 Technology
Administration of the Department of Commerce to carry out section 5(g)
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.
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