What changed between these versions
A complete substitute amendment. v3 fundamentally restructures the mechanism for establishing National STEM Week by integrating its provisions as amendments to the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, rather than creating a new standalone act. Additionally, v3 introduces a 5-year expiration date for the National STEM Week authority, which was absent in v2.
Overview
Extensive changes throughout the bill, primarily focused on its legislative structure and duration. · v3 fundamentally restructures the legislative approach for National STEM Week and introduces a sunset provision, thereby narrowing the long-term scope and permanence of the initiative.
v3 represents a fundamental restructuring of the "National STEM Week Act" by transforming it from a standalone piece of legislation into a series of amendments to Section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. This change integrates the designation, reporting, definitions, purposes, and programs of National STEM Week into an existing statutory framework. A significant new element in v3 is the introduction of a 5-year expiration date for the authority to designate and carry out National STEM Week activities, which was not present in v2. The short title and findings sections remain substantively identical.
Major additions
This new provision establishes an expiration date for the authority to designate a week as National STEM Week and to carry out its associated programs and activities. Specifically, the authority will expire 5 years after the date of enactment of the National STEM Week Act.
This addition introduces a time limit on the entire initiative, meaning that without further legislative action, National STEM Week and its related activities will cease after five years. This significantly alters the long-term permanence and commitment implied by v2, which did not include any such limitation.
Deletions
This section in v2 directly mandated the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (CoSTEM) to designate a week each calendar year as "National STEM Week."
The direct, standalone designation mechanism for National STEM Week is removed. While the designation still occurs, it is now integrated into an existing statute (America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010), changing the legislative approach and its administrative context.
This section outlined the five specific purposes of National STEM Week and the programs and activities CoSTEM was to carry out during the week, such as highlighting STEM education, showcasing career pathways, and encouraging family engagement.
The standalone section detailing the purposes and programs of National STEM Week is removed. These provisions are retained but are now embedded within the new subsection (e) of 42 U.S.C. 6621, changing their legislative placement and integration into a broader act.
This section mandated CoSTEM to submit an annual report to Congress detailing activities conducted under National STEM Week, including a summary of nationwide participation, an analysis of impact, and recommendations for improvement.
The standalone annual reporting requirement for National STEM Week is removed. The reporting obligations are now integrated into the existing reporting framework of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act (42 U.S.C. 6621(d)), streamlining reporting but removing the dedicated section.
This section provided seven key definitions for terms used throughout the Act, such as "educational institution," "STEM," "industry leader," and "State," ensuring consistent interpretation.
The standalone definitions section is removed. The definitions are retained but are now integrated into the new subsection (e) of 42 U.S.C. 6621, changing their legislative placement and tying them directly to the amended America COMPETES Act.
Modifications
The primary operative impact is that the National STEM Week initiative is now subject to the framework and potential future amendments of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, rather than existing as an independent statute. The introduction of a 5-year sunset clause means the program's longevity is no longer indefinite, requiring reauthorization after five years, which significantly alters its long-term planning and stability.
Before
v2 established National STEM Week as a new, standalone act, with the National Science and Technology Council Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (CoSTEM) directly designating the week, outlining its purposes, programs, reporting, and definitions in separate sections of this new act.
After
v3 amends Section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621) to incorporate the designation of National STEM Week, its purposes, programs, definitions, and reporting requirements into that existing statute. It adds a new subsection (e) to 42 U.S.C. 6621 to house these provisions and introduces a 5-year expiration date.
This change corrects the specific section of the Higher Education Act of 1965 that defines "institution of higher education," ensuring accuracy in the legal definition and its application to the National STEM Week Act. This ensures the correct scope of institutions is included in the program's activities.
Before
In v2, Section 6(5) defined "institution of higher education" by referencing "section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)".
After
In v3, the definition for "institution of higher education" now references "section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)".
Scope
Fundamental restructuring — Changes are scattered throughout the bill's operative sections, fundamentally altering its legislative structure and duration. — v3 represents a meaningful change in policy direction by introducing a sunset clause, shifting from a perpetual program to one with a defined expiration, and by integrating the initiative into an existing statutory framework rather than creating a new one. — The changes in v3 directly interact with and modify Section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, integrating the National STEM Week provisions into an existing legislative framework and making them subject to its broader context.
Impact analysis
The National Science and Technology Council Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (CoSTEM)
Procedural change, integrating their responsibilities into an established framework.
CoSTEM's authority to designate National STEM Week and its reporting requirements are now explicitly tied to and integrated within the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, rather than being established by a standalone act.
All stakeholders involved in National STEM Week, including educational institutions, industry partners, students, families, States, and local communities.
Loss of indefinite program duration; introduces a finite timeline for the initiative.
The authority for National STEM Week and its associated programs will now expire 5 years after the enactment of the National STEM Week Act.
Institutions of higher education
Clarification of scope, ensuring the correct set of institutions is eligible or targeted by the program.
The statutory reference used to define "institution of higher education" has been updated from section 102 to section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965.