Supporting the goals and ideals of National Science Week and the biennial USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., and inviting State and local governments to recognize the last week in April as a National Science Week.

Whereas science, technology, engineering and mathematics are an essential element of the future competitiveness in the world of the United States; Whereas advances in technology have resulted in significant improvement in the daily lives of people in the United States; Whereas the global economy of the future will require a workforce which is educated in science and engineering specialties; Whereas a new generation of Americans educated in STEM is crucial to ensure continued economic growth; Whereas scientific discoveries are critical to curing diseases, solving global challenges, and expanding our understanding of our world; Whereas invigorating the interest of the next generation of Americans in STEM education is necessary to maintain the global competitiveness of the United States; Whereas nations around the world have held science festivals which have brought together hundreds of thousands of visitors celebrating science; Whereas science and engineering festivals have attracted millions of participants and inspired a national effort to promote science and engineering; Whereas thousands of universities, museums and science centers, STEM professional societies, educational societies, government agencies and laboratories, community organizations, elementary and secondary schools, volunteers, corporate and private sponsors, and nonprofit organizations, have come together to produce the USA Science & Engineering Festival on a nationwide scale in Washington, D.C., in April 2014; Whereas the USA Science & Engineering Festival will highlight the important contributions of science and engineering to the competitiveness of the United States through exhibits on such topics as human spaceflight, medicine, engineering, biotechnology, weather forecasting, physics, and astronomy; and Whereas scientific research is essential to the competitiveness of the United States and events like the USA Science & Engineering Festival promote the importance of scientific research and development to the future of America: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) expresses its support for the goals and ideals of the USA Science & Engineering Festival to promote science scholarship and an interest in scientific research and development as the cornerstones of innovation and competition in the United States; (2) supports festivals such as the USA Science & Engineering Festival which focus on the importance of science and engineering to our everyday lives through exhibits in such topics as human spaceflight, weather forecasting, satellite technology, and telescopes; (3) congratulates all the individuals and organizations whose efforts will make the USA Science & Engineering Festival highlighting American accomplishments in science and engineering possible; (4) encourages families and their children to participate in the activities and exhibits that will occur in the Washington Convention Center and across the United States as satellite events to the USA Science & Engineering Festival; and (5) invites State and local governments to recognize a National Science Week.

Summary: Expresses the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of the USA Science & Engineering Festival to promote science scholarship and an interest in scientific research and development as the cornerstones of innovation and competition in the United States. Supports festivals such as the USA Science & Engineering Festival which focus on the importance of science and engineering to everyday life through exhibits in such topics as human spaceflight, weather forecasting, and satellite technology. Congratulates all the individuals and organizations whose efforts will make the USA Science & Engineering Festival possible. Invites state and local governments to recognize a National Science Week.