,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #febf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,april #ag1 #bjbj,mr4
 ,banks 7for himself and ,mr4 ,kim7     
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on ,armed   
,services  ,a ,,bill  ,to establish a   
,,stem corps to enhance the ,,stem and  
computer science workforce of the       
,department of ,defense and the defense 
industry1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,,stem ,corps ,act of #bjbj4  #b4   
,,stem ,corps program ,part ,,iii of    
subtitle ,a of title #aj1 ,united       
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following new chapter3  #aac
 ,science1 ,technology1 ,engineering1   
and ,mathematics ,corps  #bbjjn4 ,,stem 
,corps program4 #bbjjo4 ,administration 
of program4 #bbjjp4 ,service obligation 
for ,,stem ,corps participants4 #bbjjq4 
,security clearance required4 #bbjjr4   
,refund for failure to complete program4
 #bbjjs4 ,industry and institutional    

participation4 #bbjjt4 ,definitions4    
#bbjjn4 ,,stem ,corps program  7a7      
,program required ,the ,secretary of    
,defense shall carry out a program to be
 known as the ,,stem ,corps to enhance  
the ,,stem and computer science         
workforce of the ,department of ,defense
 and the defense industry4 ,under the   
program1 the ,secretary shall provide   
financial assistance to qualified       
students who pursue a bachelor's or     
graduate degree in a ,,stem or          
computer-science discipline in exchange 
for a commitment from such students to  
work in the ,department of ,defense for 
a defined period4  7b7 ,application and 
entrance examination ,to be considered  
for participation in the ,,stem ,corps1 
a qualified student shall-- 7#a7 submit 
to the ,administrative ,agency an       
application at such time1 in such       
manner1 and containing such information 
as the ,secretary may require2 and  7#b7
 achieve a passing score on the written 
exam developed and administered by the  

,administrative ,agency in accordance   
with section #bbjjo7a77#b77;,b74  7c7   
,financial assistance  7#a7 ,amount ,the
 amount of financial assistance provided
 to a qualified student under this      
section shall not exceed #dj1jjj for    
each academic year during which the     
student is enrolled in a ,,stem or      
computer science degree program at a    
qualified institution of higher         
education4  7#b7 ,duration ,a qualified 
student may receive financial assistance
 under this section for a maximum of two
 academic years4  7#c7 ,use of funds    
,financial assistance provided to a     
qualified student under this section may
 be used only to pay the student's cost 
of attendance at a qualified institution
 of higher education4  7d7 ,academic    
requirements ,as a condition of         
receiving financial assistance under    
this1 a ,,stem ,corps participant       
shall-- 7#a7 complete not less than #ae 
credit hours 7or the equivalent7 of     
postsecondary coursework in computer    

science2  7#b7 maintain satisfactory    
progress toward completion of a         
bachelor's or graduate degree in a      
,,stem or computer-science discipline2  
7#c7 maintain a grade point average of  
not less than #c4j on a scale of #d4j   
7or the equivalent7 while enrolled in   
such a degree program2 and  7#d7 meet   
such other academic requirements as the 
,administrative ,agency determines to be
 appropriate4  7e7 ,relationship to     
other programs ,the ,secretary of       
,defense shall coordinate the provision 
of financial assistance under the       
authorities provided in this chapter    
with the provision of financial         
assistance under the authorities        
provided in chapter #aaa of this title  
7pertaining to support of science1      
mathematics1 and engineering education71
 to maximize the benefits derived by the
 ,department of ,defense from the       
exercise of all such authorities4       
#bbjjo4 ,administration of program  7a7 
,administrative ,agency  7#a7           

,designation ,the ,secretary of ,defense
 shall establish or designate an        
organization of the ,department of      
,defense to serve as the organization   
within the ,department with primary     
responsibility for administering the    
,,stem ,corps program 7referred to in   
this chapter as the ,administrative     
,agency74  7#b7 ,duties ,subject to the 
direction and control of the ,secretary 
of ,defense1 the ,administrative ,agency
 shall-- 7,a7 select qualified students 
for participation in the ,,stem ,corps2 
7,b7 develop and administer a written   
examination for applicants to the ,,stem
 ,corps2  7,c7 monitor ,,stem ,corps    
participants to determine their         
continued eligibility for participation 
in the program2  7,d7 facilitate the    
placement of ,,stem ,corps participants 
in positions within the ,department of  
,defense and with defense industry      
sponsors1 as applicable2  7,e7 solicit1 
receive1 and manage contributions from  
defense-industry sponsors under section 

#bbjjs7a72  7,f7 enter into memoranda of
 understanding with institutions of     
higher education under section          
#bbjjs7b72 and  7,g7 carry out such     
other activities relating to the ,,stem 
,corps as the ,secretary of ,defense    
determines to be appropriate4  7b7      
,advisory panel  7#a7 ,establishment    
,the ,secretary of ,defense shall       
establish an advisory panel to provide  
advice and recommendations to the       
,administrative ,agency on the matters  
described in subsection 7a77#b74  7#b7  
,members ,the advisory panel shall be   
composed of the following members3 7,a7 
,the ,assistant ,secretary of ,defense  
for ,manpower and ,reserve ,affairs1 who
 shall serve as the chairperson of the  
panel4  7,b7 ,one representative of the 
,department of ,defense appointed by the
 ,secretary of ,defense4  7,c7 ,one     
,member of the ,house of                
,representatives appointed by the       
,speaker of the ,house of               
,representatives4  7,d7 ,one ,member of 

the ,house of ,representatives appointed
 by the minority leader of the ,house of
 ,representatives4  7,e7 ,one ,senator  
appointed by the majority leader of the 
,senate4  7,f7 ,one ,senator appointed  
by the minority leader of the ,senate4  
7#c7 ,terms ,each member specified in   
subparagraphs 7,b7 through 7,f7 of      
paragraph 7#b7 shall be appointed for a 
term of two years4  7#d7 ,meetings ,the 
advisory panel shall meet at the call of
 the chairperson or a majority of its   
members not less frequently than once   
annually4  7c7 ,limitation on           
availability of funds ,of the funds     
authorized to be appropriated or        
otherwise made available to carry out   
this chapter for a fiscal year1 not more
 than #ejj1jjj may be used to pay the   
costs of administering the ,,stem       
,corps1 including any costs relating to 
the advisory panel established under    
subsection 7b74  #bbjjp4 ,service       
obligation for ,,stem ,corps            
participants  7a7 ,service agreement for

 recipients of financial assistance ,to 
be eligible to receive financial        
assistance under section #bbjjn1 a      
qualified student shall enter into a    
written agreement with the ,secretary of
 ,defense under which the student       
agrees-- 7#a7 to accept placement in an 
internship with a defense industry      
sponsor as described in subsection 7b72 
7#b7 to accept and continue employment  
in the ,department of ,defense in a     
,department of ,defense ,laboratory as  
described in subsection 7c72 and  7#c7  
to accept any additional terms and      
conditions that the ,secretary          
determines to be appropriate4  7b7      
,internship with defense industry       
sponsor  7#a7 ,in general ,pursuant to  
the agreement under subsection 7a77#a71 
each ,,stem ,corps participant shall    
complete an internship with a defense   
industry sponsor before the student     
completes the second academic year of   
participation in the program4  7#b7     
,type of position ,as part of an        

internship under paragraph 7#a71 a      
,,stem ,corps participant shall perform 
duties that require a security clearance
 and that directly support the          
,department of ,defense4  7#c7          
,placement ,the ,administrative ,agency1
 in consultation with ,,stem ,corps     
participants and defense industry       
sponsors1 shall place each ,,stem ,corps
 participant in an appropriate          
internship as required under paragraph  
7#a74  7c7 ,employment in ,department of
 ,defense  7#a7 ,service obligation     
,pursuant to the agreement under        
subsection 7a77#b71 each ,,stem ,corps  
participant shall accept and continue   
employment in a ,,stem or               
computer-science related position within
 the ,department of ,defense1 which may 
include employment in a defense         
laboratory1 for a period of not less    
than four years4  7#b7 ,placement ,the  
,administrative ,agency shall consult   
with ,,stem ,corps participants who are 
in the final year of a bachelor's or    

graduate degree program to identify     
appropriate employment opportunities for
 such participants within the           
,department of ,defense4 ,to the extent 
practicable1 the ,administrative ,agency
 shall consider the skills1 training1   
experience1 and preferences of a ,,stem 
,corps participant when assigning the   
participant to a position under         
paragraph 7#a74  7#c7 ,treatment of     
service in the armed forces ,a ,,stem   
,corps participant may fulfill the      
service obligation under paragraph 7#a7 
through service in the armed forces4    
7#d7 ,change of assignment  7,a7        
,request for change of assignment ,after
 the conclusion of the first year of an 
assignment under paragraph 7#a71 a      
,,stem ,corps participant may submit to 
the ,administrative ,agency a request to
 be reassigned to a different ,,stem or 
computer-science related position within
 the ,department4  7,b7 ,consideration  
by ,administrative ,agency ,after       
receiving a request for a reassignment  

under subparagraph 7,a71 the            
,administrative ,agency1 in consultation
 with the hiring authorities of the     
offices concerned1 shall-- 7i7 determine
 whether such a reassignment would be   
appropriate2 and  7ii7 based on such    
determination1 approve or deny the      
request4  7#e7 ,rates of pay  7,a7 ,in  
general ,except as provided in          
subparagraph 7,b71 during the period of 
obligated service described in paragraph
 7#a71 each ,,stem ,corps participant   
shall be paid as follows3 7i7 ,first    
three years of service ,for the first   
through third years of obligated        
service1 each participant shall be paid 
at a rate of not less than the rate of  
basic pay for ,,gs-#f of the ,general   
,schedule4  7ii7 ,fourth year of service
 ,for the fourth year of obligated      
service1 each participant shall be paid 
at a rate equal to the rate of basic pay
 for ,,gs-#aj of the ,general ,schedule4
  7,b7 ,exception ,subparagraph 7,a7    
shall not apply to a ,,stem ,corps      

participant who fulfills the period of  
obligated service described in paragraph
 7#a7 through service as a member of the
 armed forces4  7#f7 ,inclusion of      
defense laboratories ,employment in a   
defense laboratory shall be treated as  
employment within the ,department of    
,defense for purposes of this chapter   
without regard to whether the laboratory
 is operated by a contractor4  7#g7     
,waiver of veterans' preference ,the    
hiring authority of the ,department of  
,defense organization concerned1 may    
appoint1 without regard to the          
provisions of subchapter ,i of chapter  
#cc of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 
other than sections #ccjc and #ccbh of  
such title1 qualified participants to   
positions in the competitive service at 
the ,department of ,defense4  7d7       
,employment with defense industry       
sponsor  7#a7 ,in general ,at the       
discretion of the ,administrative       
,agency1 a ,,stem ,corps participant may
 fulfill the fourth year of the service 

obligation under subsection 7c77#a7     
through employment with a defense       
industry sponsor4  7#b7 ,rate of pay    
,the ,administrative ,agency shall      
ensure that a ,,stem ,corps participant 
employed by a defense industry sponsor  
under paragraph 7#a7 receives pay at a  
rate that is not less than the          
equivalent of the rate of basic pay for 
,,gs-#aj of the ,general ,schedule4  7e7
 ,transition assistance ,the            
,administrative ,agency shall provide   
advice and technical assistance to      
,,stem ,corps participants to assist the
 transition of such participants to     
long-term employment in the ,department 
of ,defense1 other departments or       
agencies of the ,federal ,government1 or
 the private-sector defense industry    
after the participant fulfills the      
service obligation under subsection     
7c77#a74  #bbjjq4 ,security clearance   
required ,as a condition of             
participation in the ,,stem ,corps each 
,,stem ,corps participant shall be      

required to-- 7#a7 apply for and obtain 
a security clearance before the         
conclusion of the first academic year   
for which the participant receives      
assistance under the program2 and  7#b7 
maintain such security clearance until  
the conclusion of the participant's     
period of obligated service under       
section #bbjjp7c77#a74  #bbjjr4 ,refund 
for failure to complete program  7a7 ,in
 general ,a ,,stem ,corps participant   
shall refund to the ,united ,states an  
appropriate amount1 as determined by the
 ,secretary1 in the event that the      
participant does not-- 7#a7 complete the
 educational program for which financial
 assistance has been provided under     
section #bbjjn2  7#b7 meet the academic 
requirements described in section       
#bbjjn7d72  7#c7 complete the service   
obligation described in section         
#bbjjp7c72 or  7#d7 obtain and maintain 
a security clearance as required under  
section #bbjjq4  7b7 ,treatment as debt 
,an obligation to reimburse the ,united 

,states imposed under subsection 7a7 is 
for all purposes a debt owed to the     
,united ,states4  7c7 ,waiver ,the      
,secretary of ,defense may waive1 in    
whole or in part1 a refund required     
under subsection 7a7 if the ,secretary  
determines that recovery would be       
against equity and good conscience or   
would be contrary to the best interests 
of the ,united ,states4  #bbjjs4        
,industry and institutional             
participation  7a7 ,sponsorship         
agreements with defense contractors     
7#a7 ,contribution agreements ,the      
,secretary of ,defense1 acting through  
the ,administrative ,agency1 shall seek 
to enter into agreements with qualified 
defense contractors under which-- 7,a7  
the contractor will contribute not less 
than #dj1jjj to the ,administrative     
,agency1 to be used to provide financial
 assistance to ,,stem ,corps            
participants in accordance with section 
#bbjjn2 and  7,b7 in exchange for each  
contribution of #dj1jjj under paragraph 

7#a7 for a year-- 7i7 the               
,administrative ,agency will1 to the    
extent practicable1 place one ,,stem    
,corps participant in an internship with
 the contractor in accordance with      
section #bbjjp7b72 and  7ii7 the        
contractor may be eligible to employ a  
,,stem ,corps participant in the final  
year of the participant's service       
obligation in accordance with section   
#bbjjp7d74  7#b7 ,treatment of          
contributions ,any contribution of funds
 under subsection 7a7 shall be credited 
to the appropriation or account         
providing the funds to carry out this   
chapter4 ,any amount so credited shall  
be merged with amounts in the           
appropriation or account to which       
credited1 and shall be available for the
 same purposes1 and subject to the same 
conditions and limitations1 as amounts  
in such appropriation or account4  7b7  
,agreements with institutions of higher 
education ,the ,secretary of ,defense1  
acting through the ,administrative      

,agency1 shall seek to enter into       
agreements with institutions of higher  
education under which the institutions  
shall agree to such terms and conditions
 as are necessary to facilitate the     
participation of students of the        
institution in the ,,stem ,corps4       
#bbjjt4 ,definitions ,in this chapter3  
7#a7 ,cost of attendance ,the term cost 
of attendance has the meaning given that
 term in section #dgb of the ,higher    
,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 
#ajhgll74  7#b7 ,defense industry       
partner ,the term defense industry      
partner means a qualified defense       
contractor that has an agreement in     
effect with the ,secretary under section
 #bbjjs7a74  7#c7 ,defense laboratory   
,the term defense laboratory means a    
laboratory operated by the ,department  
of ,defense or owned by the ,department 
of ,defense and operated by a contractor
 or a facility of a ,defense ,agency at 
which research and development          
activities are conducted4  7#d7         

,institution of higher education ,the   
term institution of higher education has
 the meaning given that term in section 
#aja of the ,higher ,education ,act of  
#aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajja74  7#e7      
,,stem ,corps participant ,the term     
,,stem ,corps participant means an      
individual who-- 7,a7 has received1 or  
is receiving1 financial assistance under
 section #bbjjn2 and  7,b7 has not yet  
completed the service obligation        
described in section #bbjjp7c77#a74     
7#f7 ,qualified defense contractor ,the 
term qualified defense contractor1 for  
any year1 means an entity awarded a     
contract with the ,department of        
,defense for that year for an amount in 
excess of #ejj1jjj4  7#g7 ,qualified    
institution of higher education ,the    
term qualified institution of higher    
education means an institution of higher
 education that-- 7,a7 provides an      
educational program in a ,,stem or      
computer-science field for which the    
institution awards a bachelor's or      

graduate degree2 and  7,b7 has an       
agreement in effect with the ,secretary 
under section #bbjjs7b74  7#h7          
,qualified student ,the term qualified  
student means an individual who-- 7,a7  
is a citizen of the ,united ,states2    
7,b7 is between the ages of #ai and #ca 
years old 7inclusive71 except that the  
,secretary may waive such age           
requirement on a case-by-case basis2    
7,c7 demonstrates an aptitude for       
technical subjects and a propensity for 
public service2  7,d7 before the        
beginning of the first year of          
participation in the program1 will have 
completed not less than #cj credit hours
 7or the equivalent7 of coursework at an
 institution of higher education1 which 
may include coursework completed at a   
junior or community college 7as that    
term is defined in section #cab7;f7 of  
the ,higher ,education ,act of #aife    
7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ajeh7;f7772 and  7,e7   
for the first year of participation in  
the program-- 7i7 in the case of an     

undergraduate student1 will be enrolled 
in the third year of a bachelor's degree
 program in a ,,stem or computer-science
 discipline at a qualified institution  
of higher education2 or  7ii7 in the    
case of a graduate student-- 7,i7 will  
be enrolled in graduate degree program  
in a ,,stem or computer-science         
discipline at a qualified institution of
 higher education2 and  7,,ii7 is       
expected to complete such graduate      
degree by the conclusion of the academic
 year following the first year of       
participation in the program4  7#i7     
,,stem ,the term ,,stem means science1  
technology1 engineering1 and            
mathematics4  4  #c4 ,authorization of  
appropriations ,there are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out chapter    
#aac of title #aj1 ,united ,states      
,code1 as added by section #b of this   
,act1 #e1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba  
and each fiscal year thereafter4