H.R. 5502: Strengthening America's Innovation and Competitiveness Act

109th Congress · introduced 2006-05-25 · Education · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2006-05-25 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. McMorris, Cathy [R-WA-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Strengthening America's Innovation and Competitiveness Act

Plain summary

Strengthening America's Innovation and Competitiveness Act - Amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to states and to partnerships of institutions of higher education and high need local educational agencies (LEAs) to implement strategies to increase the number of teachers qualified to teach advanced placement and pre-advanced placement courses in mathematics, science, and critical foreign languages. Replaces the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program with the Robert C. Byrd Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarship program. Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award funds to a private nonprofit organization to administer, through a public-private partnership, a Mathematics and Science Honors Scholarships program for postsecondary and graduate students who commit to five consecutive years of service in a science, engineering, or mathematics field. Authorizes the Secretary to cover the student loan interest obligations of mathematics, science, or engineering professionals and elementary and secondary school teachers who make such an obligation. Authorizes grants to states for: (1) activities promoting the professional development of elementary and secondary school teachers; and (2) state mathematics and science education coordinating councils where education, business, and community leaders collaborate to improve teacher recruitment and training and student performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Authorizes grants to LEAs and public or private educational organizations to recruit and train individuals outside of the elementary and secondary education system who have expertise in mathematics, science, and critical foreign languages to teach such subjects at secondary schools on an adjunct basis. Authorizes the Secretary to award grants to partnerships of institutions of higher education and LEAs to: (1) establish elementary and secondary school critical foreign language teacher recruitment and preparation programs; and (2) provide innovative critical language learning opportunities for students.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Strengthening America's Innovation and Competitiveness Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. McMorris, Cathy [R-WA-5] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Michael T. McCaul (R-TX)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-109hr5502.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/109/hr>

Record fed-us-cong109-hr5502 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109