(a) The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall, on a continuing basis—
(1) identify actions which the Department of Defense may take to improve education in the scientific, mathematics, and engineering skills necessary to meet the long-term national defense needs of the United States for personnel proficient in such skills; and
(2) establish and conduct programs to carry out such actions.
(b)
(1) In furtherance of the authority of the Secretary of Defense under any provision of this chapter or any other provision of law to support educational programs in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, the Secretary of Defense may, unless otherwise specified in such provision—
(A) enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with eligible entities;
(B) make grants of financial assistance to eligible entities;
(C) provide cash awards and other items to eligible entities;
(D) accept voluntary services from eligible entities; and
(E) support national competition judging, other educational event activities, and associated award ceremonies in connection with these educational programs.
(2) The Secretary of Defense may carry out the authority in paragraph (1) through the Secretaries of the military departments.
(3) In this subsection:
(A) The term "eligible entity" includes a department or agency of the Federal Government, a State, a political subdivision of a State, an individual, and a not-for-profit or other organization in the private sector.
(B) The term "State" means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and any other territory or possession of the United States.
(c) The Secretary shall designate an individual within the Office of the Secretary of Defense to advise and assist the Secretary regarding matters relating to science, mathematics, and engineering education and training.
Amendments
2011—Subsec. (b)(2), (3). Pub. L. 111–383 added par. (2) and redesignated former par. (2) as (3).
2003—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 108–136 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c).
1999—Pub. L. 106–65 amended section catchline generally. Prior to amendment, catchline read as follows: "Science, mathematics, and engineering education".
Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Defense Scholarship Pilot Program
Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title XI, §1105, Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2074, as amended by Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title X, §1056(d), title XI, §1104(a)–(c), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3440, 3448, 3449; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title X, §1075(h)(5), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4377, which related to a pilot program to provide financial assistance for education in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology skills and disciplines that were determined to be critical to the national security functions of the Department of Defense, was repealed and restated in section 2192a of this title by Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title XI, §1104(d)(1)(B), (e)(1), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3450.
Department of Defense Support for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Education
Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title VIII, §829, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1444, directed Secretary of Defense to develop and submit to Congress a master plan for activities by Department of Defense during each of fiscal years 1993 through 1997 to support education in science, mathematics, and engineering at all levels of education in the United States, with each such plan to be developed in consultation with Secretary of Education, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title X, §1063(c), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 444.
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