HR 1467 EHRFSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To authorize the National Science Foundation to award grants to institutions of higher education to develop and offer education and training programs.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `10,000 Trained by 2010 Act'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the National Science Foundation has long been a government leader in strengthening our Nation's information infrastructure;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) as automation and digitization reach the healthcare industry, that industry will need to draw heavily on the expertise of researchers funded by the National Science Foundation for the collection, processing, and utilization of information;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the National Science Foundation's basic research, demonstrations, and curriculum development assistance are all required to help make sure the industry has the knowledge, procedures, and workforce necessary to take full advantage of advanced communications and information technology;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that 136,000 Americans were employed in 2000 as information management professionals in the healthcare industry alone, with projected growth of 49 percent by 2010; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) no systematic plan exists for designing and implementing systems and information tools and for ensuring that the healthcare workforce can make the transition to the information age.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) DIRECTOR- The term `Director' means the Director of the National Science Foundation.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) INFORMATION- The term `information' means healthcare information.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term `institution of higher education' has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RESEARCH.

(a) Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall award grants for basic research on innovative approaches to improve information systems. Research areas may include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) information studies;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) population informatics;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) translational informatics; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) data security, integrity, and confidentiality.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION- Grants shall be awarded under this section on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) $3,500,000 for fiscal year 2008;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) $3,600,000 for fiscal year 2009;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) $3,700,000 for fiscal year 2010; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) $3,800,000 for fiscal year 2011.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Informatics Research Centers-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall award multiyear grants, subject to the availability of appropriations, to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish multidisciplinary Centers for Informatics Research. Institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) receiving such grants may partner with one or more government laboratories, for-profit institutions, or non-profit institutions.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION- Grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) PURPOSE- The purpose of the Centers shall be to generate innovative approaches in information by conducting cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research, including in the research areas described in subsection (a)(1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) APPLICATIONS- An institution of higher education (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum, a description of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the research projects that will be undertaken by the Center and the contributions of each of the participating entities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) how the Center will promote active collaboration among professionals from different disciplines, such as information technology specialists, health professionals, administrators, and social science researchers; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) how the Center will contribute to increasing the number of information researchers and other professionals.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) CRITERIA- In evaluating the applications submitted under paragraph (4), the Director shall consider, at a minimum--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the ability of the applicant to generate innovative approaches to information and effectively carry out the research program;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the experience of the applicant in conducting research in the information field, and the capacity of the applicant to foster new multidisciplinary collaborations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the capacity of the applicant to attract and provide adequate support for undergraduate and graduate students to pursue information research; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) the extent to which the applicant will partner with government laboratories or for-profit or non-profit entities, and the role the government laboratories or for-profit or non-profit entities will play in the research undertaken by the Center.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) ANNUAL MEETING- The Director shall convene an annual meeting of the Centers in order to foster collaboration and communication between Center participants.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated for the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) $4,500,000 for fiscal year 2008;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) $4,600,000 for fiscal year 2009;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) $4,700,000 for fiscal year 2010; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) $4,800,000 for fiscal year 2011.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION INFORMATION PROGRAMS.

(a) Capacity Building Grants-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) IN GENERAL- The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall establish a program to award grants to institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish or improve undergraduate and master's degree information programs, to increase the number of students who pursue undergraduate or master's degrees in information fields, to provide students with experience in government or industry related to their information studies, and, to the extent practicable, to do so using distance learning.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) MERIT REVIEW; COMPETITION- Grants shall be awarded under this subsection on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) USE OF FUNDS- Grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for activities that enhance the ability of an institution of higher education (or consortium thereof) to provide high-quality information education, including certification and undergraduate and master's degree programs, and to recruit and retain increased numbers of students to such programs. Activities may include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) developing and revising curriculum to better prepare undergraduate and master's degree students for careers in the information field;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) establishing degree and certificate programs in the information field;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) creating opportunities in information research for undergraduate students;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) acquiring equipment necessary for student instruction in these programs, including the installation of testbed networks for student use;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) providing opportunities for faculty to work with State, local, or Federal Government agencies, private industry, and other academic institutions to develop new expertise or to formulate new information research directions;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) establishing collaborations with other academic institutions or departments that seek to establish, expand, or enhance these programs;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) establishing student internships for students in these programs at State, local, and Federal Government agencies or in private industry;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(H) establishing or enhancing bridge programs in information fields between community colleges and universities; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(I) any other activities the Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, determines will achieve the purposes described in paragraph (1).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) SELECTION PROCESS-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) APPLICATION- An institution of higher education (or a consortium thereof) seeking funding under this subsection shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and with such contents as the Director may require. The application shall include, at a minimum--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) a description of the applicant's relevant research and instructional capacity, and in the case of an application from a consortium of institutions of higher education, a description of the role that each member will play in implementing the proposal;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) a comprehensive plan by which the institution or consortium will build instructional capacity in information fields;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iii) a description of relevant collaborations with State, local, or Federal Government agencies or private industry that inform the instructional program;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(iv) a survey of the applicant's historic student enrollment and placement data and a study of potential enrollment and placement for students enrolled in the proposed program; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(v) a plan to evaluate the success of the proposed program, including postgraduate assessment of graduate school and job placement and retention rates as well as the relevance of the instructional program to graduate study and to the workplace.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) AWARDS- The Director shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that grants are awarded under this subsection in a wide range of geographic areas and categories of institutions of higher education.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED- The Director, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies as appropriate, shall evaluate the program established under this subsection no later than 3 years after the establishment of the program. At a minimum, the Director shall evaluate the extent to which the grants have achieved their objectives of increasing the quality and quantity of students pursuing undergraduate or master's degrees in information fields. The Director shall make this assessment publicly available.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) $9,200,000 for fiscal year 2009;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) $9,400,000 for fiscal year 2010; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) $9,600,000 for fiscal year 2011.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) GRANTS- The Director shall provide grants under the Scientific and Advanced Technology Act of 1992 for the purposes of section 3(a) and (b) of that Act, except that the activities supported pursuant to this subsection shall be limited to improving education in fields related to information.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- There are authorized to be appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this subsection--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) $7,200,000 for fiscal year 2009;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) $7,400,000 for fiscal year 2010; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) $7,600,000 for fiscal year 2011.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Passed the House of Representatives June 6, 2007.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Attest:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Clerk.