Date: 2010-05-04
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. as a former member of the Science Committee and a strong supporter of education. I rise in strong support of this resolution Recognizing the need to improve the participation and performance of Americas students in Science. Technology. Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. This legislation recognizes the importance of equipping young minds with the technological and scientific knowledge necessary to compete in a globalized economy. Further. within the context of globalization. I strongly believe that this countrys ability to achieve and maintain a high standard of living is dependent on the extent to which it can harness science and technology. Thus. in order to enhance the international competitiveness of the country. it is critical for us to promote and support students pursuing careers in meteorology. climatology and atmospheric research. From Ben Franklin to NASA to Silicon Valley. America has a great history of scientific innovation. In recent years. however. we have diverged from this path and have endangered our reputation as a nation at the forefront of science and technology. In 2006 only 4.5 percent of college graduates in the United States received a diploma in engineering. compared with 25.4 percent in South Korea. 33.3 percent in China. and 39.1 percent in Singapore. Today. American students rank 21st out of 30 in scientific literacy among students from developed countries. and 25th out of 30 in math literacy. If this trend continues. there are dire consequences for our children and our economy. As this bill notes. "In 2005 the National Academy of Sciences published a report entitled Rising Above the Gathering Storm. which estimated that in the United States innovations generated by the Science. Technology. Engineering. and Mathematics (STEM) fields account for nearly half of the growth in gross domestic product." Mr. Speaker. it is essential that we invest in a workforce ready for global competition by creating a new generation of innovators and make a sustained commitment to federal research and development. We need to spur and expand affordable access to broadband. achieve energy independence. and provide small business with tools to encourage entrepreneurial innovation. The establishment and maintenance of a capable science and technological workforce remains an important facet of U.S. efforts to maintain economic competitiveness. Precollege instruction in mathematics and scientific fields is crucial to the development of U.S. science and technological personnel. as well as our overall scientific literacy as a nation. The value of education in science and mathematics is not limited to those students pursuing a degree in one of these fields. and even students pursuing nonscientific and nonmathematical fields are likely to require basic knowledge in these subjects. In particular. there is a need to extend access to mathematics and scientific education to a number of specific groups. Even as certain minorities. including African Americans. Hispanics. and Native Americans. comprise an increasingly large proportion of the U.S. population. they continue to be underrepresented in science and engineering disciplines. Together. these three groups comprise over 25 percent of the population. but earn only 16.2 percent of the bachelor degrees. 10.7 percent of the masters degrees. and 5.4 percent of the doctorate degrees in these fields. Mr. Speaker. as we develop the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). we must fully integrate and fund STEM education programs. Such programs are vital to the future of our nation.