Tribute to National Engineer's Week

TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL ENGINEER'S WEEK -- (Extensions of Remarks - March 14, 2006)

SPEECH OF HON. RUSH D. HOLT OF NEW JERSEY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 2006

* Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of National Engineer's Week and the fact that we are recognizing the importance of engineering in our lives. Too often we forget that engineering gives us our Blackberries, computers, cell phones, Ipods, pagers, high definition televisions, remote controls, and many other conveniences of modern living. For example, a Ford Taurus has 120 computer chips in it, giving the Ford Taurus more computing power than the Apollo lunar excursion modules.

* I often speak of ``good old American know-how'', the ingenuity that created innovations which propelled our Nation to the superpower status we enjoy today. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we cannot grow complacent--innovation is slowing down, the innovation landscape is changing, and others are trying to take the gauntlet from us as I stand here now. We will not remain the leader of technological innovation in the world if we do not act. Resting on our laurels is not an option. We have done that long enough.

* We must lead the Nation forward into the cultural shift required for our continued technological dominance. Every action that we take in this chamber sends a message to the world. Will we send the message that the United States understands the acceleration of technology through engineering and that these technologies will fundamentally change the structure of society and challenge the vision that we have of the future? Will we embrace the challenges that are before us as the global economy unfolds and we strive to find our role in it?

* As we celebrate National Engineer's Week, we recognize the abilities that engineers have to translate scientific knowledge into innovative technologies which fulfill the needs and desires of society. By taking time on the floor of the House of Representatives to give commendation to engineering and National Engineer's Week, we are telling the Nation that engineering IS important to our future. However, celebrating engineering is not enough. We must focus resources and increase funding into research and development. Without a strong foundation in basic research and development, engineering loses the source of knowledge which feeds the engineering innovation pipeline.

* Innovation spurs from creative thinking, and engineering benefits from the highly trained workforce skilled in the creative endeavor of problem solving. The education of our engineering workforce must also be a focus of our work for the future of our Nation. We must more fervently welcome into the science and engineering workforce underrepresented groups, for their unique perspectives and diverse background enrich the problem solving environment. We must create an educational system that maintains high expectations and intellectually challenges each student to find their role in solving the problems that we will face as a Nation. This is about our future, our Nation's future, and we must act now.

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