Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 3.djvu/59

This page needs to be proofread.

PUBLIC LAW 105-255—OCT. 14, 1998 112 STAT. 1889 Public Law 105-255 105th Congress An Act To establish the Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology Development. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology Development Act". SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) According to the National Science Foundation's 1996 report. Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering— (A) women have historically been underrepresented in scientific and engineering occupations, and although progress has been made over the last several decades, there is still room for improvement; (B) female and minority students take fewer highlevel mathematics and science courses in high school; (C) female students earn fewer bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees in science and engineering; (D) among recent bachelors of science and bachelors of engineering graduates, women are less likely to be in the labor force, to be employed full-time, and to be employed in their field than are men; (E) among doctoral scientists and engineers, women are far more likely to be employed at 2-year institutions, are far less likely to be employed in research universities, and are much more likely to teach part-time; (F) among university full-time faculty, women are less likely to chair departments or hold high-ranked positions; (G) a substantial salary gap exists between men and women with doctorates in science and engineering; (H) Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans continue to be seriously underrepresented in graduate science and engineering programs; and (I) Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans as a group are 23 percent of the population of the United States, but only 6 percent are scientists or enj^neers. (2) According to the National Research Council's 1995 report. Women Scientists and Engineers Employed in Industry: Why So Few?— Oct. 14, 1998 [H.R. 3007] Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology Development Act. 42 USC 1885a note. 42 USC 1885a note.