Legislation (S. 2817) that would reauthorize the programs under the National Science Foundation (NSF) was approved, by voice vote, by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on September 19. The bill includes a provision aimed at increasing the number of women, minorities, and people with disabilities in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved the same bill on September 5 (see The Source, 9/6/02).
The committee also approved an amendment by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Max Cleland (D-GA) that would require the NSF to issue a report on its programs over the past 10 years and a description of its present and past policies that encourage the full participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in science, mathematics, and engineering.
