Skip to main content
H.R. 4734 109th Congress House

NDEA-21

Official title: To establish a comprehensive education program to bolster the economic competitiveness and national security of the United States by promoting science, technol… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To establish a comprehensive education program to bolster the economic competitiveness and national security of the United States by promoting science, technology, engineering, and math education, careers, and capacity, as well as foreign language acquisition.

Introduced: February 8, 2006 See on congress.gov
Education Armed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionBusiness educationCareer education
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
College costsCommerceCommunity and schoolComputer literacyConferencesCongressCongressional reporting requirementsContinuing educationCultural relationsCurriculaDepartment of EducationEconomics and Public FinanceEducational accountabilityEducational exchangesEducational facilitiesEducational researchEducational testsElementary and secondary educationElementary educationEngineeringExecutive Office of the PresidentExecutive reorganizationFederal aid to educationFederal employeesFederal officialsForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkGovernment publicationsGovernment publicityGovernmental investigationsGraduate educationHealthHigher educationInternational AffairsInternational competitivenessInternational educationLabor and EmploymentLaboratoriesLanguage and languagesLiteracy programsMathematicsMedical educationMentoringMinoritiesMinorities in governmentMinority educationPresidential appointmentsPublic service advertisingPublic-private partnershipsRecruiting of employeesResearchScholarshipsScience, Technology, CommunicationsScientific educationSecondary educationStandardsStudent employmentStudent loan fundsTeacher educationTeacher salariesTeacher supply and demandTeaching materialsTechnical education
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 1, 2006
Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.
May 1, 2006
Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
Feb 17, 2006
Referred to the Subcommittee on Research.
Feb 8, 2006
Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 8, 2006
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action May 1, 2006

Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

21st Century National Defense Education Act or NDEA-21 - Directs the Secretary of Education to establish a grant program to promote science, technology, engineering, and math education (STEM fields) in kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a loan forgiveness program for students who have obtained undergraduate degrees in a STEM field and are employed full-time as elementary or secondary school teachers in a STEM field or by the federal government in a position that requires training or education in a STEM field.

Requires the Director of the National Science Foundation to establish (1) a program to promote professional development to ensure effective STEM instruction; (2) Centers of Excellence to develop STEM curricula; (3) a program to promote research experiences for undergraduates in a STEM field; (4) professional science Master's programs at institutions of higher education for national security and economic competitiveness; and (5) support programs for STEM students studying in foreign countries that have languages of critical strategic importance to the United States.

Establishes: (1) a national STEM Teaching Fellowship program to encourage teaching careers in STEM fields; (2) a STEM Revitalization Task Force to evaluate and promote STEM programs; and (3) a National STEM Advisor.

Establishes: (1) the Office of Teaching Another Language to Kids within the Department of Education to improve foreign language education from kindergarten through 12th grade; (2) the National Foreign Language Coordinating Council in the Executive Office of the President; and (3) the position of National Foreign Language Advisor to find solutions to achieving national foreign language and cultural competency.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4734: NDEA-21. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4734/
MLA
"H.R. 4734: NDEA-21." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4734/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4734, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4734/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4734: NDEA-21](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4734/)
Report a problem