Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 362, 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science And Math Scholarship Act

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 362, 10,000 TEACHERS, 10 MILLION MINDS SCIENCE AND MATH SCHOLARSHIP ACT -- (House of Representatives - April 24, 2007)

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Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, H. Res. 327 provides for consideration of H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Science and Math Scholarship Act, under a structured rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Science and Technology. The rule waives all points of order against the bill, except those arising under clauses 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The rule also makes in order and provides appropriate waivers for consideration of two amendments that
were submitted for consideration. A third amendment was submitted, but was withdrawn by its sponsors. All three amendments that were submitted to the Rules Committee were offered by Democratic Members.

H.R. 362 is a bipartisan bill aimed at improving K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, education through recruitment, training, mentoring and professional development of teachers.

The major provisions of H.R. 362 are in response to recommendations laid out by the National Academy of Sciences in their recent report on American competitiveness. That report, ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' identified K-12 science and math education as the highest priority policy recommendations. This legislation intends to implement those important recommendations. The report concluded a comprehensive and coordinated Federal effort is urgently needed to bolster U.S. competitiveness and preeminence in these areas.

This report, initiated, as you know, by Congress, makes four recommendations along with 20 implementation actions that Federal policymakers should take to create high-quality jobs and focus new science and technology efforts on meeting the Nation's needs. Those include, one, increasing America's talent pool by vastly improving K-12 mathematics and science education; two, sustaining and strengthening the Nation's commitment to long-term basic research; three, develop, recruit and retain top students, scientists and engineers, both from the U.S. and abroad; and, four, ensure that the United States is the premier place in the world for innovation.

According to that report, in 1999, 68 percent of U.S. eighth graders received math instruction from a teacher with no, repeat, no math certification or degree. Also, according to that report, in the year 2000, 92 percent of the fifth through ninth graders, our kids, were taught physical science by a teacher with no science degree or certification. In 2004, the United States high school students ranked 24th, 24th, out of 29 countries in math proficiency, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, obviously a situation that is not tolerable.

This bill makes important strides towards achieving the goals laid out by the National Academy of Sciences report. H.R. 362 will authorize $1.5 billion to be appropriated for new and existing programs within the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy that support the training and professional development of elementary and secondary school teachers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. H.R. 362 addresses the academy's highest priority recommendations to invest in elementary and secondary education.

In summary, H.R. 362 creates programs at colleges and universities to improve the training of science, technology, engineering and math teachers; increases the size and duration of scholarships provided for those fields for people who become teachers; authorizes teacher training for advanced math and science courses; establishes a National Science Foundation grant program to support teachers institutes, including summer institutes for working math and science teachers; establishes master's degree programs for working math and science teachers through the NSF; and creates centers for improving undergraduate education in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The bill also authorizes scholarships for students majoring in these STEM fields who commit to teaching in our K-12 science and math programs.

The legislation has very broad support among our Nation's leading education and research institutions and broad bipartisan support in this body.

H.R. 362 will improve teacher preparation by providing our Nation's teachers with the necessary professional development, and it should improve our students' achievement by strengthening our math and science curriculum.

The reason for this legislation is clear: by 2010, one in four new jobs will be technically oriented, or will involve computers. Women still lag far behind in earning computer technology degrees and working in computer technology related professions, a situation we hope to change.

Constituents from my home State of Vermont have expressed their belief that this legislation provides the forward-thinking policy our Nation's education system requires.

H.R. 362 will provide a particular benefit to rural regions because of the number of rural school districts that currently don't have the resources to get these jobs done. High school lab courses not only reinforce what is going on in lecture, but obviously capture the attention and engagement of our students. These are useful tools for our students to acquire, no matter what career path they choose to follow.

An additional 10,000 math and science teachers across the United States will help ensure that our Nation can capture the imagination of our young people and give them the tools they need to succeed in the careers of science, engineering, technology, and math. The bill also supports the purchase of laboratory equipment, absolutely essential to achieving these goals, that will upgrade facilities in the development of programs that integrate laboratory experience with classroom instruction.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 362 to invest in America's competitiveness. That is essentially what this bill is about. This bill will have a great impact on our teacher preparation, will strengthen and expand the science, technology, engineering and math workforce, and attract more of our best and brightest students into these fields.

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Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, this bill has received bipartisan support. There has been a slight argument here about the nature of a structured rule, but I have heard from the gentleman from Washington that there is broad support for the content of this bill. It is a step that is going to move this Nation ahead in the important areas of improving science, math, technology, and engineering.

It is absolutely crucial that our country remain competitive. It is a disgrace that we are 24th out of 29 countries as measured in our performance in K-12 instruction in these critical areas to our present economy.

So we support this bill and ask full support of the Members of the House of Representatives for its passage.

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