,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dbdg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #ah       
7legislative day1 ,may #ag71 #bjbb,mr4  
,padilla 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,menendez1  
and ,mr4 ,brown7 introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,environment and ,public ,works  ,a     
,,bill  ,to amend the ,public ,works and
 ,economic ,development ,act of #aife to
 establish university centers to        
encourage certain economic development1 
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,university ,centers for ,growth1       
,development1 and ,prosperity ,act of   
#bjbb4  #b4 ,economic development agency
 university centers  7a7 ,establishment 
,title ,,ii of the ,public ,works and   
,economic ,development ,act of #aife    
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cada et seq47 is amended
 by adding at the end the following3    
#bai4 ,university centers  7a7 ,in      
general ,the ,secretary shall make      

awards to institutions of higher        
learning for such institutions to serve 
as university centers4  7b7 ,geographic 
coverage ,the ,secretary shall ensure   
that one university center is           
established in each ,state to provide   
services in such ,state4  7c7           
,prioritization of historically ,black  
colleges and universities1 ,tribal      
colleges and universities1              
,hispanic-,serving institutions1 and    
minority-,serving institutions ,in      
establishing university centers under   
this section1 the ,secretary shall      
prioritize institutions of higher       
education that are eligible to receive  
funds under section #cga7;a7 of the     
,higher ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj   
,u4,s4,c4 #ajfgq7a774  7d7 ,duties ,the 
university centers established under    
this section1 to the extent practicable1
 shall-- 7#a7 collaborate with other    
university centers2  7#b7 collaborate   
with economic development districts1    
trade adjustment assistance centers1    

,hollings ,manufacturing ,extension     
,partnership ,centers of the ,national  
,institute of ,standards and            
,technology1 ,business ,centers and     
,rural ,business ,centers of the        
,minority ,business ,development        
,agency1 and other relevant ,federal    
economic development technical          
assistance and service providers to     
provide expertise1 applied research1 and
 technical assistance to develop1       
implement1 and support regional         
strategies that assist in job creation1 
high-skilled regional talent pools1 and 
business expansion in a region's        
innovation cluster2  7#c7 provide       
technical assistance1 business          
development services1 and technology    
transfer services to businesses in the  
service area of the university center2  
7#d7 establish partnerships with one or 
more commercialization intermediaries   
that are public or nonprofit technology 
transfer organizations eligible to      
receive a grant under section           

#fjb7;d77#a77;,b7 of the ,american      
,innovation and ,competitiveness ,act   
7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahfbs-#i7;d77#a77;,b772 
and  7#e7 provide to communities and    
regions assistance relating to data     
collection and analysis and other       
research relating to economic conditions
 and vulnerabilities that can inform    
economic development and adjustment     
strategies4  7e7 ,funding ,the          
,secretary may provide to each          
university center under this section for
 each fiscal year an amount that is not 
less than #ejj1jjj and not more than    
#a1jjj1jjj4  4  7b7 ,conforming         
amendment ,section #c7ab7 of the ,public
 ,works and ,economic ,development ,act 
of #aife 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cabb7ab77 is   
amended by inserting a university center
 established under section #bai or after
 means4  7c7 ,clerical amendment ,the   
table of contents in section #a7;b7 of  
the ,public ,works and ,economic        
,development ,act of #aife 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 #caba note7 is amended by     

inserting after the item relating to    
section #bah the following new item3    
,sec4 #bai4 ,university centers4  4