Brown, Hirono, Strickland Lead Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Promote Diversity in STEM

~ Legislation would authorize funding for programs to increase the recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields ~

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Shontel Brown (D-OH), U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland (D-WA) led 18 of their colleagues in reintroducing the bicameral Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025, legislation to create new federal grants for programs focused on professional development, training, mentoring, and outreach activities of women and minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This comes after Trump’s executive order targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which has significantly impacted diversity programs at federal science agencies.

“Instead of going backwards on diversity, we need to move forward. Our economy and our communities are stronger when more people have opportunity. I’m proud to co-lead this important legislation with Senator Hirono and Congresswoman Strickland which will help us invest in under-represented communities and help more people secure good STEM jobs,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.

“At a time when diversity is under attack, every effort to support building diverse pipelines—particularly into STEM fields—is crucial,” said Senator Hirono. “Diversity in STEM aids in the development of creative solutions to address many of the nation’s biggest challenges. By creating grants specifically focused on outreach and support to women and other underrepresented groups, this bill will help ensure our country benefits from the talent and innovation of a diverse STEM workforce.”

“Women and minorities across STEM fields often face obstacles and inequality in many stages of their careers,” said Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10). “This bill will help ensure that high-wage STEM jobs are more accessible to historically under-represented communities.”

Women, racial minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities remain largely underrepresented in the STEM workforce in the U.S.—a result of barriers these groups face in pursuing a career in these fields. Members of these groups also face obstacles that cause them to leave STEM professions at higher rates than their white, non-LGBTQ+ counterparts. According to a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), teams consisting of individuals with diverse identities and backgrounds innovate at higher rates than that of teams without such diversity. Without dismantling the policies and practices that disadvantage these groups, the STEM workforce stands to lose much needed innovation and must heed the urgent call to improve opportunities to recruit and retain women and minorities in STEM fields.

In short, the legislation would authorize the National Science Foundation to provide grants for activities like:

• Online workshops;
• Mentoring programs that partner STEM professionals with students;
• Internships for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM;
• Outreach programs providing elementary and secondary school students with opportunities to increase their exposure to STEM fields; and
• Programs to increase recruitment and retention of underrepresented faculty.

In addition to Representatives Brown, Strickland and Senator Hirono, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Representatives Ed Case (D-HI-01), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL-01), Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03), Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), George Whitesides (D-CA-27), and Melanie Stansbury (D-NM-01).

This legislation is endorsed by the Association for Women in Mathematics; American Mathematical Society; and the Association for Women in Science.

A one-page summary about the bill is available here. The full text of the legislation is available here.

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