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Secretary shall, in awarding such grants, promote an equitable geographic distribution among eligible public and private institutions of higher education.

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(A) DURATION.-The Secretary shall award a grant under this subpart for a period of 3 years.

(B) AMOUNT.-The Secretary shall award a grant to an academic department, program or unit of an institution of higher education under this subpart for a fiscal year in an amount that is not less than $100,000 and not greater than $750,000.

(3) REALLOTMENT.-Whenever the Secretary determines that an academic department, program or unit of an institution of higher education is unable to use all of the amounts available to the department, program or unit under this subpart, the Secretary shall, on such dates during each fiscal year as the Secretary may fix, reallot the amounts not needed to academic departments, programs and units of institutions which can use the grants authorized by this subpart.

(c) PREFERENCE TO CONTINUING GRANT RECIPIENTS.

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall make new grant awards under this subpart only to the extent that each previous grant recipient under this subpart has received continued funding in accordance with subsection (b)(2)(A).

(2) RATABLE REDUCTION.-To the extent that appropriations under this subpart are insufficient to comply with paragraph (1), available funds shall be distributed by ratably reducing the amounts required to be awarded under subsection (b)(2)(A).

SEC. 712. [20 U.S.C. 1135a] INSTITUTIONAL ELIGIBILITY.

(a) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.-Any academic department, program or unit of an institution of higher education that offers a program of postbaccalaureate study leading to a graduate degree in an area of national need (as designated under subsection (b)) may apply for a grant under this subpart. No department, program or unit shall be eligible for a grant unless the program of postbaccalaureate study has been in existence for at least 4 years at the time of application for assistance under this subpart.

(b) DESIGNATION OF AREAS OF NATIONAL NEED.-After consultation with appropriate Federal and nonprofit agencies and organizations, the Secretary shall designate areas of national need. In making such designations, the Secretary shall take into account the extent to which the interest in the area is compelling, the extent to which other Federal programs support postbaccalaureate study in the area concerned, and an assessment of how the program could achieve the most significant impact with available re

sources.

SEC. 713. [20 U.S.C. 1135b] CRITERIA FOR APPLICATIONS.

(a) SELECTION OF APPLICATIONS.-The Secretary shall make grants to academic departments, programs and units of institutions of higher education on the basis of applications submitted in accordance with subsection (b). Applications shall be ranked on program quality by review panels of nationally recognized scholars

and evaluated on the quality and effectiveness of the academic program and the achievement and promise of the students to be served. To the extent possible (consistent with other provisions of this section), the Secretary shall make awards that are consistent with recommendations of the review panels.

(b) CONTENTS OF APPLICATIONS.-An academic department, program or unit of an institution of higher education, in the department, program or unit's application for a grant, shall

(1) describe the current academic program of the applicant for which the grant is sought;

(2) provide assurances that the applicant will provide, from other non-Federal sources, for the purposes of the fellowship program under this subpart an amount equal to at least 25 percent of the amount of the grant received under this subpart, which contribution may be in cash or in kind, fairly valued;

(3) set forth policies and procedures to assure that, in making fellowship awards under this subpart, the institution will seek talented students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, as determined by the Secretary;

(4) describe the number, types, and amounts of the fellowships that the applicant intends to offer with grant funds provided under this part;

(5) set forth policies and procedures to assure that, in making fellowship awards under this subpart, the institution will make awards to individuals who

(A) have financial need, as determined under part F of title IV;

(B) have excellent academic records in their previous programs of study; and

(C) plan to pursue the highest possible degree available in their course of study;

(6) set forth policies and procedures to ensure that Federal funds made available under this subpart for any fiscal year will be used to supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the funds that would otherwise be made available for the purpose of this subpart and in no case to supplant those funds;

(7) provide assurances that, in the event that funds made available to the academic department, program or unit under this subpart are insufficient to provide the assistance due a student under the commitment entered into between the academic department, program or unit and the student, the academic department, program or unit will, from any funds available to the department, program or unit, fulfill the commitment to the student;

(8) provide that the applicant will comply with the limitations set forth in section 715;

(9) provide assurances that the academic department will provide at least 1 year of supervised training in instruction for students; and

(10) include such other information as the Secretary may prescribe.

SEC. 714. [20 U.S.C. 1135c] AWARDS TO GRADUATE STUDENTS. (a) COMMITMENTS TO GRADUATE STUDENTS.

(1) IN GENERAL.-An academic department, program or unit of an institution of higher education shall make commitments to graduate students who are eligible students under section 484 (including students pursuing a doctoral degree after having completed a master's degree program at an institution of higher education) at any point in their graduate study to provide stipends for the length of time necessary for a student to complete the course of graduate study, but in no case longer than 5 years.

(2) SPECIAL RULE.-No such commitments shall be made to students under this subpart unless the academic department, program or unit has determined adequate funds are available to fulfill the commitment from funds received or anticipated under this subpart, or from institutional funds.

(b) AMOUNT OF STIPENDS.-The Secretary shall make payments to institutions of higher education for the purpose of paying stipends to individuals who are awarded fellowships under this subpart. The stipends the Secretary establishes shall reflect the purpose of the program under this subpart to encourage highly talented students to undertake graduate study as described in this subpart. In the case of an individual who receives such individual's first stipend under this subpart in academic year 1999-2000 or any succeeding academic year, such stipend shall be set at a level of support equal to that provided by the National Science Foundation graduate fellowships, except such amount shall be adjusted as necessary so as not to exceed the fellow's demonstrated level of need as determined under part F of title IV.

(c) TREATMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL PAYMENTS.-An institution of higher education that makes institutional payments for tuition and fees on behalf of individuals supported by fellowships under this subpart in amounts that exceed the institutional payments made by the Secretary pursuant to section 716(a) may count such excess toward the amounts the institution is required to provide pursuant to section 714(b)(2).

(d) ACADEMIC PROGRESS REQUIRED. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), no student shall receive an award—

(1) except during periods in which such student is maintaining satisfactory progress in, and devoting essentially full time to, study or research in the field in which such fellowship was awarded; or

(2) if the student is engaging in gainful employment other than part-time employment involved in teaching, research, or similar activities determined by the institution to be in support of the student's progress towards a degree.

SEC. 715. [20 U.S.C. 1135d] ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR COST OF EDUCATION.

(a) INSTITUTIONAL PAYMENTS.—

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary shall (in addition to stipends paid to individuals under this subpart) pay to the institution of higher education, for each individual awarded a fellowship under this subpart at such institution, an institutional allowance. Except as provided in paragraph (2), such allowance

the

shall be, for 1999-2000 and succeeding academic years, same amount as the institutional payment made for 1998-1999 adjusted annually thereafter in accordance with inflation as determined by the Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index for the previous calendar year.

(2) REDUCTION.-The institutional allowance paid under paragraph (1) shall be reduced by the amount the institution charges and collects from a fellowship recipient for tuition and other expenses as part of the recipient's instructional program. (b) USE FOR OVERHEAD PROHIBITED.-Funds made available pursuant to this subpart may not be used for the general operational overhead of the academic department or program.

SEC. 716. [20 U.S.C. 1135e] AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years to carry out this subpart.

Subpart 3-Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program

SEC. 721. [20 U.S.C. 1136] LEGAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM.

(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY.-The Secretary shall carry out a program to be known as the "Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program" designed to provide low-income, minority, or disadvantaged college students with the information, preparation, and financial assistance to gain access to and complete law school study.

(b) ELIGIBILITY.-A college student is eligible for assistance under this section if the student is

(1) from a low-income family;

(2) a minority; or

(3) from an economically or otherwise disadvantaged background.

(c) CONTRACT OR GRANT AUTHORIZED.-The Secretary is authorized to enter into a contract with, or make a grant to, the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, for a period of not less than 5 years—

(1) to identify college students who are from low-income families, are minorities, or are from disadvantaged backgrounds described in subsection (b)(3);

(2) to prepare such students for study at accredited law schools;

(3) to assist such students to select the appropriate law school, make application for entry into law school, and receive financial assistance for such study;

(4) to provide support services to such students who are first-year law students to improve retention and success in law school studies; and

(5) to motivate and prepare such students with respect to law school studies and practice in low-income communities. (d) SERVICES PROVIDED.-In carrying out the purposes described in subsection (c), the contract or grant shall provide for the

delivery of services through prelaw information resource centers, summer institutes, midyear seminars, and other educational activities, conducted under this section. Such services may include (1) information and counseling regarding

(A) accredited law school academic programs, especially tuition, fees, and admission requirements;

(B) course work offered and required for graduation; (C) faculty specialties and areas of legal emphasis; and (D) undergraduate preparatory courses and curriculum selection;

(2) tutoring and academic counseling, including assistance in preparing for bar examinations;

(3) prelaw mentoring programs, involving law school faculty, members of State and local bar associations, and retired and sitting judges, justices, and magistrates;

(4) assistance in identifying preparatory courses and material for the law school aptitude or admissions tests;

(5) summer institutes for Thurgood Marshall Fellows that expose the Fellows to a rigorous curriculum that emphasizes abstract thinking, legal analysis, research, writing, and examination techniques; and

(6) midyear seminars and other educational activities that are designed to reinforce reading, writing, and studying skills of Thurgood Marshall Fellows.

(e) DURATION OF THE PROVISION OF SERVICES.-The services described in subsection (d) may be provided

(1) prior to the period of law school study;

(2) during the period of law school study; and

(3) during the period following law school study and prior to taking a bar examination.

(f) SUBCONTRACTS AND SUBGRANTS.-For the purposes of planning, developing, or delivering one or more of the services described in subsection (d), the Council on Legal Education Opportunity shall enter into subcontracts with, and make subgrants to, institutions of higher education, law schools, public and private agencies and organizations, and combinations of such institutions, schools, agencies, and organizations.

(g) STIPENDS.-The Secretary shall annually establish the maximum stipend to be paid (including allowances for participant travel and for the travel of the dependents of the participant) to Thurgood Marshall Fellows for the period of participation in summer institutes and midyear seminars. A Fellow may be eligible for such a stipend only if the Thurgood Marshall Fellow maintains satisfactory academic progress toward the Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws degree, as determined by the respective institutions.

(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1999 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.

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