S. 1745 — Dismantling Ideological Policies for Semiconductors and Science Act

This section strikes section 104 of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (i.e., eligibility requirements for the semiconductor financial assistance program, including covered entities' commitments to worker and community investments such as training and job placement for economically disadvantaged individuals, executable plans to sustain facilities without further federal aid and to mitigate supply chain security risks, and policies to combat counterfeiting for semiconductor production, assembly, or packaging projects). It also redesignates sections 105, 106, and 107 as sections 104, 105, and 106, respectively. (Thus, the Department of Commerce program to provide financial assistance for U.S. semiconductor facilities, equipment, and research no longer imposes these requirements on applicants.)

This section repeals authorities for certain Department of Energy programs supporting scientific workforce development and education, including collaborations among elementary and secondary school teachers, higher education students and faculty, early-career researchers, and National Laboratories to increase participation by underrepresented groups. Specifically, it repeals (1) Section 312 of the Department of Energy Research and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 18650); (2) Section 10111 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (division B of Public Law 117-167); and (3) Sections 3167A (42 U.S.C. 7381c-2), 3167B (42 U.S.C. 7381c-3), and 3169 (42 U.S.C. 7381e) of the Department of Energy Science Education Enhancement Act. It also makes conforming amendments to the tables of contents for the affected laws.

This section repeals Section 10241 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (division B of P.L. 117-167), which established requirements relating to educational outreach and support for underrepresented communities at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). As a conforming amendment, it restores Section 18 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to read as it did immediately prior to enactment of that Act.

This section repeals the requirement under the National STEM Teacher Corps pilot program to recruit applicants who advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). (The pilot program recognizes and rewards outstanding PreK–12 STEM teachers, elevates their public profile, and creates career paths for educators, including in high-need schools.)

This section repeals certain diversity requirements for the national network for microelectronics education (42 U.S.C. 18997(b))—a program providing awards to advance education and workforce development in microelectronics—by (1) striking paragraph (5) and inserting a new paragraph (5) stating that the Director shall encourage proposals led by or including partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) or Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs); (2) striking paragraph (6); and (3) redesignating paragraphs (7) and (8) as paragraphs (6) and (7), respectively.

This section repeals diversity considerations in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)—which builds research, education, and innovation capacity in 25 eligible jurisdictions—by amending subsection (b) to (1) strike "Diversity and" from the subsection heading, (2) strike paragraphs (5) and (7), and (3) redesignate paragraphs (6) and (8) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively.

This section repeals Section 10329 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (i.e., provision authorizing the National Science Foundation to award competitive grants to institutions of higher education for activities increasing participation of historically underrepresented and underserved communities in NSF research, education, and extension programs). It also strikes subsections (e) and (f) of Section 305 of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (42 U.S.C. 1862s–5) and redesignates subsections (g) and (h) as subsections (e) and (f), respectively.

This section modifies the outreach requirements for the Entrepreneurial Fellowship Program by requiring the NSF Director to recruit fellowship applicants only from all regions of the country (previously also from diverse research institutions and groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields). (The program awards fellowships to early-career scientists and engineers for embedding in host institutions to advance technology commercialization and research-to-market connections.)

This section revises NSF requirements for funding undergraduate scholarships (including at community colleges), graduate fellowships and traineeships, and postdoctoral awards in key technology focus areas (42 U.S.C. 19113) by (1) replacing the implementation subsection to require the agency to address current and projected STEM workforce gaps—including by increasing institutional educational capacity and prioritizing awards to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and others who will grow the domestic workforce—while authorizing (but not requiring) support for historically Black colleges and universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, low-income students, and geographic diversity; (2) striking the broadening participation subsection, which previously required steps to increase underrepresented populations' involvement in STEM; (3) redesignating the encouraging innovation, areas of funding support, low-income scholarship program, and existing programs subsections; and (4) in the areas of funding support subsection, striking the low-income scholarship program, completing the list of authorized research experiences and internships, and revising the funding priority for institutional awards to apply if funds remain after primary awards (from after primary awards and the low-income program).

This section revises Subtitle C of title V of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19181 et seq.)—previously focused on STEM programs for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs), and minority-serving institutions (MSIs)—to apply only to HBCUs and TCUs by (1) changing the subtitle heading from including "MSI" to "HBCU and TCU"; (2) replacing "HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs" with "HBCUs and TCUs" and "HBCUs, TCUs, or MSIs" with "HBCUs or TCUs" throughout; (3) in section 10524(f), striking "MSI" from the subsection heading ("MSI Centers" to "Centers"), changing "five MSI" to "five", and striking "and research training of underrepresented minority students"; and (4) in section 10526, striking paragraph (3) and redesignating paragraph (4) as (3). This section further amends a responsibility of the federal Committee on STEM Education under 42 U.S.C. 6621(d)(9)—which coordinates STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education activities across agencies such as the National Science Foundation and Department of Education—by striking references to "HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs" and inserting "HBCUs and TCUs".

This section eliminates two labor organization-related requirements for the Foundation for Energy Security and Innovation (FESI), a nonprofit corporation established by the Department of Energy to support its mission and accelerate energy technology commercialization through partnerships with researchers, universities, industry, and philanthropies. Specifically, the section (1) strikes from the FESI Board of Directors composition the requirement to appoint one leader of a labor organization representing not fewer than 100,000 energy sector workers; and (2) strikes from the Executive Director appointment process the requirement that the Board consult with leaders of relevant trade organizations and labor organizations.

This section repeals Section 10714 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act (42 U.S.C. 19302), which established a prize competition for university-led teams to advance clean energy technologies. As a conforming amendment, it removes references to that section from the annual progress report and triennial evaluation requirements under Section 9007 of the Energy Act of 2020 (42 U.S.C. 16391a) applicable to specified bioenergy and energy innovation programs (i.e., Sections 9001-9005 of the Energy Act of 2020 and related sections of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act).

This section repeals the Research and Development Initiative on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas and Noise Emissions From Aircraft under 51 U.S.C. §40112(b). (As background, the initiative required the FAA Administrator to research, develop, and demonstrate technologies to reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions—including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, water vapor, contrails, black carbon, and sulfate aerosols—and noise, with goals of at least 50% emissions reductions from new aircraft compared to the best technology in service as of December 31, 2021; noise levels not exceeding ambient levels; net-zero emissions by 2050; and demonstrations on regional aircraft entering service by 2030 and single-aisle aircraft accommodating more than 125 passengers.) The section also repeals related technology focus areas, implementation requirements, and annual reporting under sec. 10833 of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act and redesignates subsections (c) through (g) of 51 U.S.C. §40112—covering rotorcraft, hypersonics, revolutionary concepts, fuel cell-powered aircraft, and Mars aircraft research—as subsections (b) through (f), respectively.

This section modifies the purpose of the Office of STEM Engagement—established in the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act to broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—by (1) striking from subsection (b) the phrase ", increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM," and (2) striking "diverse" and inserting "robust and capable" in subsection (c)(2).

This section makes clerical amendments to the tables of contents of Public Law 117-167 (1) striking the item for section 104 of division A and redesignating the items for sections 105 through 107 as sections 104 through 106; (2) striking the items for specified sections of division B (10111, 10241, 10326, 10327, 10328, 10329, 10503, 10504, 10505, 10507, 10521, 10522, 10523, 10524, 10525, 10526, 10714, and 10833); and (3) in both the general table of contents and the division B table of contents, replacing “MSI” with “HBCU and TCU” in the item relating to subtitle C of title V.

This section prohibits the head of an executive branch agency from imposing on entities seeking federal funding from the agency any nonstatutory mandate (i.e., agency requirement not specified in statute) to adopt or maintain the following policies: (1) those prioritizing hiring, training, and retaining employees comparable to Executive Order 14035 on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the federal workforce, as in effect on January 19, 2025; (2) workforce plans or commitments to hire, train, and retain a diverse workforce, including economically disadvantaged individuals; (3) provision of childcare for employees' children; (4) wraparound services for the workforce, including adult care, transportation, housing assistance, and emergency cash assistance; (5) community investment plans, including affordable housing, housing vouchers, and transportation services; (6) planning projects to minimize adverse impacts on the environment and local communities; (7) planning to mitigate climate change or environmental justice concerns; (8) sustaining existing or establishing new project labor agreements; or (9) consultation with local labor organizations.