---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 19155"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "19155"
heading: "Cultural and institutional barriers to expanding the academic and Federal STEM workforce"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/19155"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter V — Broadening Participation in Science"
  - "Part A — STEM Opportunities"
---

# §19155. Cultural and institutional barriers to expanding the academic and Federal STEM workforce

- (a) **Best practices—**
  - (1) **Development of guidance—** Not later than 12 months after August 9, 2022, the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1), in consultation with the [interagency working group on inclusion in STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=14) and utilizing existing guidance already developed by [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) where applicable, shall broadly disseminate to entities that receive Federal research funding best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) for—
    - (A) conducting periodic climate surveys of [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) [departments](/usc/42/19291.md?p=2) and divisions, with a particular focus on identifying and addressing any cultural or institutional barriers to the recruitment, retention, or advancement of groups historically underrepresented in [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) studies and careers; and
    - (B) providing educational opportunities, including workshops, for [STEM](/usc/42/18901.md?p=27) professionals to learn about current research on effective [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) for unbiased recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of undergraduate and graduate students and research personnel.
  - (2) **Establishment of policies—** Consistent with the guidance developed under [paragraph (1)](#a-1)—
    - (A) The [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11), in consultation with the heads of [Federal research agencies](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10), shall develop a policy that—
      - (i) applies to, at a minimum, doctoral degree granting institutions that receive Federal research funding; and
      - (ii) requires each such institution, not later than 3 years after August 9, 2022, and to the extent practicable, to report to the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) on activities and policies developed and implemented based on the guidance disseminated under [paragraph (1)](#a-1); and
    - (B) each [Federal research agency](/usc/42/18901.md?p=10) with a [Federal laboratory](/usc/42/18901.md?p=9) shall maintain or develop and implement [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) and policies for the purposes described in [paragraph (1)](#a-1) for such laboratory and, not later than three years after August 9, 2022, each [Federal laboratory](/usc/42/18901.md?p=9) shall report to the head of such [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) on such [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) and policies.
- (b) **Report to Congress—** Not later than four years after August 9, 2022, the [Director](/usc/42/19184.md?p=1) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11) shall submit a report to Congress that includes a summary and analysis of the types and frequency of activities and policies developed and carried out under [subsection (a)](#a) based on the reports submitted under [paragraph (2)](#a-2) of such subsection.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title V, § 10505, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1612.)