§1862n–7 Reports

Summary

The Director must send several reports to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate about funding, gender, and Internet access issues. Not later than 6 months after December 19, 2002, the Director must report on how raising the average grant size and length would affect minority-serving institutions and institutions in States where the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is active. Not later than 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 (including hiring, promotion, tenure, and resources like lab space) and must also hire a party to study gender differences in who requests and who receives major Federal research grants. The results of these studies must be sent to the same three committees. The Director must also do a study of high-speed, large-bandwidth Internet access for elementary and secondary schools and libraries, and must report recommendations about availability, use inside schools and libraries, regional limits, and ways to fix problems. That report must be sent not later than 1 year after December 19, 2002, and updated each year for 4 more years. Each year, with the President’s budget, the Director must report how much funding the Foundation gives to minority-serving institutions (including as consortium members), showing that amount as a percentage of all higher-education funding for each appropriations account and covering the prior 10 years. Finally, not later than 1 year after December 19, 2002, the Director must send recommendations on how the Foundation can improve funding to minority-serving institutions.