Bills
| 3.23.22

Math and Science Grants for Women and Minorities (H.R. 4833)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 4833?

(Updated July 18, 2017)

This bill would authorize competitive grant programs for three years through the National Science Foundation to encourage women and underrepresented minorities to participate in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The grants would go to online workshops, mentoring programs, internships, and outreach programs to engage women and minorities in STEM university departments, educational partnerships, and non-profit organizations. 

Argument in favor

Science, math and tech fields harbor severe gender and racial underrepresentation; this bill would help to correct that.

Argument opposed

One could make the case that the bill is too well-meaning, and $10 million per year across so many venues won't do much.

Impact

The bill has the potential to impact participation in the fields of math and science by women and minorities.

Cost of H.R. 4833

The grant totals would be $10 million annually and authorized for three years.

Additional Info

Media:


Identical legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA). Senator Landrieu's press release can be found here. 

Of Note:

-Women make up 48 percent of the national workforce, but just 24 percent of STEM workers.

Further Detail:

Eligible grantee entities would be: 

• A department of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics at an institution of higher education, including one-, two-, and four-year institutions

• A consortium of those educational departments

• An organization that is partnered with an educational institution

• Nonprofit organizations that represent science and engineering disciplines and/or advance the participation of underrepresented segments of the population in science and engineering

Authorized activities would be: 

• Online workshops

• Student and professional mentoring programs

• Professional internships for undergraduate and graduate STEM students

• STEM education outreach programs for secondary school, undergraduate and graduate school students, and other programs to increase and retain women and minority participation in STEM education and industries.