Bill · S. 1534· Senate(119-S-1534)
Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 4/30/2025
- Last activity
- 4/30/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Mazie Hirono
- Cosponsors
- - 8 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025 aims to increase the participation of certain demographic groups in STEM education and industry. It establishes a grant program where the Director of the National Science Foundation awards funds to eligible entities on a competitive basis. These entities can use the money for activities like workshops, mentoring, internships, outreach, or faculty recruitment. The bill targets women, persons underrepresented in science and engineering, and persons with disabilities. It includes specific definitions for minority groups and persons with disabilities. The act authorizes $15,000,000 in appropriations for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030.
Yes· 3 of 15
Would women be better off under this?+5
The bill provides funding to address the significant underrepresentation and retention gap of women in STEM fields.
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?+5
The bill creates specific opportunities to increase the workforce participation of persons with disabilities in STEM.
Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated?+5
The bill provides funding to increase participation for several underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups in STEM.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Increased Participation in STEM: The grant program is designed to increase the participation of women, persons underrepresented in science and engineering, and persons with disabilities in STEM fields. (Section 2(b))
-
Access to Mentoring and Professional Guidance: Eligible entities can use grant funds to establish mentoring programs that partner STEM professionals with students. (Section 2(d)(2))
-
Educational and Career Opportunities: Grants can fund internships for both undergraduate and graduate students within STEM fields. (Section 2(d)(3))
-
Early Exposure to STEM: Outreach programs can be conducted to provide elementary and secondary school students with opportunities to increase their exposure to STEM fields. (Section 2(d)(4))
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Improved Faculty Representation: Funds can be used for programs intended to increase the recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty. (Section 2(d)(5))
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Skill Development: The act allows for the use of grant funds for online workshops. (Section 2(d)(1))
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Competitive Limitation: Grants are awarded to eligible entities on a competitive basis, which implies that not all entities seeking to support these groups will receive funding. (Section 2(b))
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For People With Disabilities+5Good For Women+5Good For African Americans+4Good For Asian Americans+4Good For Hispanic Americans+4Good For L G B T Q Community+4Good For Native Americans+4Good For Students+4Good For Children+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Disability Rights+5Improves Racial Equity+5Improves L G B T Q Rights+4
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+3Increases Public School Funding+2
- Economy And Finance
- Increases Job Creation+3
- 4/30/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard DurbinDemocrat · Illinois
Tammy DuckworthDemocrat · Illinois
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Amy KlobucharDemocrat · Minnesota
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California
Jacky RosenDemocrat · Nevada
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Chris Van HollenDemocrat · Maryland