# Plain Language Summary: Empowering STEM Discovery Act

This bill removes a financial requirement that currently applies to two major science education programs run by the National Science Foundation. Normally, when the federal government funds research or education projects, it requires the organizations receiving that money to contribute some of their own funds as well—this is called "cost-sharing." Think of it like a matching grant where if the government gives you $100, you have to put in $20 of your own money. This bill says "not anymore" for five years, at least for these two specific programs.

The two programs affected are the Major Research Instrumentation Program, which helps universities and research institutions buy expensive scientific equipment, and the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, which helps train science and math teachers. By eliminating the cost-sharing requirement, universities and schools won't have to dig into their own budgets to participate in these programs. This could make it easier for smaller institutions or those with tighter budgets to apply for federal funding and invest in research equipment or teacher training. It could also mean more money stays available for other institutional priorities.

After five years, the National Science Foundation director has to report back to Congress about how well this change worked. They'll need to evaluate whether removing the cost-sharing requirement actually helped achieve the programs' goals, whether institutions used the federal money responsibly, and whether it was fair to all the different types of institutions that participated. Based on that report, Congress will decide whether to keep this waiver going or let it expire and go back to requiring cost-sharing.

Empowering STEM Discovery Act

Bowman, Jamaal

Empowering STEM Discovery Act This bill waives for a five-year period the cost-sharing requirements for the Major Research Instrumentation Program and for National Science Foundation (NSF) teaching fellowships administered within the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. The NSF shall submit to Congress an assessment, that includes feedback from the research community, of the impacts of the waivers provided pursuant to this bill.