Title: Supporting the goal and ideal of increasing the number of African American women and girls in the engineering profession.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Expresses support for the designation of National African American Women Engineers Day and for the goal of increasing the number of African American women in engineering.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 746 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 746

   Supporting the goal and ideal of increasing the number of African 
        American women and girls in the engineering profession.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 23, 2018

 Ms. Adams (for herself, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Meeks, 
 Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Moulton, 
Ms. Barragan, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Foster, Mr. McEachin, Mr. Cohen, Ms. 
   Norton, Ms. Moore, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. 
Hastings, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Mr. Ted Lieu of 
California, Mr. Payne, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Ms. Lee, 
    and Mr. Norcross) submitted the following resolution; which was 
  referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in 
addition to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Supporting the goal and ideal of increasing the number of African 
        American women and girls in the engineering profession.

Whereas National Engineers Week will occur during the week of February 18-24, 
        2018;
Whereas National Engineers Week was established by the National Society of 
        Professional Engineers in 1951;
Whereas the engineering profession has shaped and benefitted industries from 
        health, tech, and transportation;
Whereas the Royal Academy of Engineering has reported that engineering is a 
        field that can contribute to economic development through many different 
        channels;
Whereas based on current trends, there will be 600,000 unfilled engineering jobs 
        by the year 2020;
Whereas a strong STEM education system is a critical element of creating a 
        strong engineering workforce;
Whereas among African Americans, Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
        are responsible for graduating 50 percent of all aspiring engineers;
Whereas the most recent analysis shows that only 26.3 percent of engineering 
        bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans were awarded to women, 
        despite that fact that African American women outnumber men nearly 2 to 
        1 in college;
Whereas the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering data shows 
        that African American women are pursuing engineering degrees three times 
        less often than their male counterparts;
Whereas the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering says that the 
        number of African American women who graduated with an engineering 
        degree has declined by over 25 percent over the last decade;
Whereas the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering shows that in 
        2015, less than 1 percent of all U.S. engineering bachelor's degrees 
        were awarded to African American women;
Whereas the dearth of African American women in engineering is a crucial area 
        for improvement that has grave implications for the American economy;
Whereas research shows that lack of visible role models in engineering, fear of 
        stereotypes, biculturalism, tokenism, feelings of isolation, and pay 
        inequities in the engineering workforce are all systemic factors in the 
        decreasing number of African American women engineers;
Whereas the celebration of existing African American women engineering talent is 
        cited as a way to increase the number of African American women 
        engineers;
Whereas February 23rd would be an appropriate time to recognize African American 
        women engineers; and
Whereas Historically Black Colleges and Universities are particularly critical 
        in meeting the challenge of cultivating more African American women 
        engineering talent: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goal of increasing African American women 
        in engineering as a way to promote economic empowerment and 
        sustainability in the African American community;
            (2) supports the designation of National African American 
        Women Engineers Day, as a way to celebrate and promote careers 
        in engineering among African American women and girls; and
            (3) recognizes that strong collaborative networks and 
        partnerships must be created with Historically Black Colleges 
        and Universities in order to empower African American women to 
        make an impact in the engineering sector.
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