A roundup of bills introduced in the last week that may be of interest to the higher education community:
S. 514: A bill to amend Title 38, United States Code, to provide additional educational assistance to veterans pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, math, or an area that leads to employment in a high-demand occupation.
Sponsor: Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Introduced: 3/11/2013 Last Major Action: Referred to Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Cosponsors: 0
H.R. 1100: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve mental and behavioral health services on college campuses.
Sponsor: Janice Schakowsky (D-IL) Introduced: 3/12/2013 Last Major Action: Referred to House Committees on Energy & Commerce and Education and the Workforce Cosponsors: 12
H.R. 1178: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants for graduate medical education partnerships in states with a low physician-resident-to-general-population ratio.
Sponsor: Kathy Castor (D-FL) Introduced: 3/14/2013 Last Major Action: Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce Cosponsors: 0
H.R. 1227: A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize certain aliens who have earned a Ph.D. degree from a United States institution of higher education in a field of science, technology, engineering or mathematics to be admitted for permanent residence and to be exempted from the numerical limitations on H-1B nonimmigrants (STAPLE ACT).
Sponsor: Erik Paulsen (R-MN) Introduced: 3/15/2013 Last Major Action: Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary Cosponsors: 3
Paulsen Press Release
H.R. 1271: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers a credit against income tax as an incentive to partner with educational institutions to provide skills training for students (Job Skills for America’s Students Act).
Sponsor: Mark Takano (D-CA) Introduced: 3/19/2013 Last Major Action: Referred to Committee on Ways and Means Cosponsors: 0
Takano Press Release
S. 646: A bill to create the National Endowment for the Oceans to promote the protection and conservation of United States ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems.
Sponsor: Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) Introduced: 3/21/2013 Last Major Action: Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Cosponsors: 3 (including Senator Maria Cantwell)
The full text of these bills can be found by searching for their respective bill number at thomas.loc.gov