H.R. 4048

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4048 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4048

To require the Director of the National Science Foundation to establish 
a program to award grants for certain STEM apprenticeship programs, 
require an interagency task force to submit a report regarding certain 
programs of the Federal Government focused primarily on career 
development and training in STEM, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 17, 2025

Ms. Rivas (for herself, Mr. Fields, Ms. Sewell, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Lee 
of Pennsylvania, Mr. Sorensen, and Ms. McBride) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Education and 
Workforce, 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 require the Director of the National Science Foundation to establish 
a program to award grants for certain STEM apprenticeship programs, 
require an interagency task force to submit a report regarding certain 
programs of the Federal Government focused primarily on career 
development and training in STEM, 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 ``STEM Pathways for the Future Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH CERTAIN STEM APPRENTICESHIP 
PROGRAMS; INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE.

(a) Grant Program To Establish Certain STEM Apprenticeship 
Programs.--The National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 
(Public Law 107-368) is amended by inserting after section 8 the 
following new section:

``SEC. 8A. GRANT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH CERTAIN STEM APPRENTICESHIP 
PROGRAMS.

``(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Director shall establish a program to 
award grants on a competitive basis to eligible recipients to establish 
STEM apprenticeship programs that are not carried out by four-year 
institutions of higher education (in this section referred to as the 
`Program').
``(b) Application.--An eligible recipient that seeks a grant under 
the Program shall submit to the Director an application at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may 
require.
``(c) Awards.--In awarding grants under the Program, the Director 
shall give preference to priority recipients over eligible recipients 
that are not priority recipients.
``(d) Permissible Use of Funds.--As determined appropriate by the 
Director, a recipient of a grant awarded under the Program may obligate 
or expend grants funds for the following activities:
``(1) Recruiting participants to a STEM apprenticeship 
program established under the Program.
``(2) Planning and technical assistance to improve such 
apprenticeship program.
``(3) Incorporating emerging technology into such 
apprenticeship program.
``(4) Entering such apprenticeship program into a 
consortium with, or establishing an advisory board for such 
apprenticeship program that is composed of, one or more private 
sector entities in STEM.
``(5) Any other activity as the Director may determine.
``(e) Impermissible Use of Funds.--A recipient of a grant awarded 
under the Program may not obligate or expend grant funds for 
recruitment, inducement, or associated financial or tangible incentives 
that might be offered to relocate an existing business from a 
geographic area to another geographic area.
``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible recipient.--The term `eligible recipient' 
means any of the following:
``(A) A State.
``(B) An Indian Tribe (as such term is defined in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304)).
``(C) A city or other political subdivision of such 
State or Indian Tribe.
``(D) A public-private partnership focused 
primarily on career development and training in STEM.
``(E) A priority recipient.
``(F) A consortium of any of the entities described 
in subparagraphs (A) through (E).
``(2) Priority recipient.--The term `priority recipient' 
means any of the following:
``(A) An entity that carries out an apprenticeship 
program registered under the Act of August 16, 1937 
(commonly known as the `National Apprenticeship Act'; 
50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et seq.)
``(B) A community college.
``(C) A minority-serving institution (as such term 
is defined in section 10002 of the Research and 
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 
18901)).
``(D) Any other entity as the Director may 
determine.
``(E) A consortium that includes an entity 
described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
``(3) STEM.--The term `STEM' means the study or practice of 
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.''.
(b) Interagency Task Force.--
(1) Composition.--There is established an interagency task 
force (in this subsection referred to as the ``Task Force'') 
composed of eight members as follows:
(A) The Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency.
(B) The Director of the National Science 
Foundation.
(C) The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy.
(D) The Secretary of Commerce.
(E) The Secretary of Education.
(F) The Secretary of Energy.
(G) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(H) The Secretary of Labor.
(2) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Task Force shall submit to 
Congress a report that includes information relating to an 
identification of each program of the Federal Government that 
satisfies the following requirements:
(A) Is focused primarily on career development and 
training in STEM.
(B) Is carried out through any of the following:
(i) An apprenticeship program registered 
under the Act of August 16, 1937 (commonly 
known as the ``National Apprenticeship Act''; 
50 Stat. 664, chapter 663; 29 U.S.C. 50 et 
seq.).
(ii) A community college (as such term is 
defined in section 4 of the National Science 
Foundation Authorization Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 
1862n note)).
(iii) A minority-serving institution (as 
such term is defined in section 10002 of the 
Research and Development, Competition, and 
Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18901)).
(3) Termination.--The Task Force shall terminate upon 
submission of the report under paragraph (2).
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