§1862n–7 Reports

Summary

The Director must send several reports to these three committees: the House Committee on Science; the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Within 6 months after December 19, 2002, the Director must report on how bigger and longer grants would affect minority-serving colleges and schools in States with the Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Within 3 months after December 19, 2002, the Director must hire the National Academy of Sciences to study gender differences in science and engineering faculty careers (hiring, promotion, tenure, resource use including lab space) and must also arrange a study of gender differences in Federal research funding awards and requests. Results of both studies must go to the same committees. The Director must also study broadband access for elementary and secondary schools and libraries and send a report with recommendations within 1 year after December 19, 2002, then update that report once a year for four more years. The broadband reports must look at who has high-speed access, how schools and libraries can use it, how local conditions affect getting access, and options to fix problems. Each year, with the President’s budget, the Director must report how much funding the Foundation gives to minority-serving institutions (including consortium members), shown as a percent of funding to all colleges for each budget account and covering the prior 10 years. Within one year after December 19, 2002, the Director must also send recommendations on how to improve funding to minority-serving institutions.