Conference Report On H.R. 2272, America Competes Act

Floor Speech

CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2272, AMERICA COMPETES ACT -- (House of Representatives - August 02, 2007)

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Mr. HINOJOSA. I rise in strong support of the Conference Report on H.R. 2272, the America COMPETES Act.

There has been a steady drumbeat across the country to call the nation to action to renew its leadership in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The National Academies of Science Report, "Rising above the Gathering Storm'' has become the rallying cry that Sputnik was a generation ago.

Today, with the passage of this conference report, the 110th Congress answers the call.

The America COMPETES Act ensures that American students, teachers, businesses, and workers are prepared to continue leading the world in innovation, research, and technology well into the future. It takes a comprehensive approach with investments in education, research and development. It moves us towards energy independence and harnesses the potential of small businesses to drive innovation.

The American COMPETES Act recognizes that America needs to draw on all of its talent--especially a growing population of minority students who continue to be under-represented in the STEM fields.

According to the U.S. Census, 39 percent of the population under the age of 18 is a racial or ethnic minority. That percentage is on a path to pass 50 percent by the year 2050, Yet, in 2000, only 4.4 percent of the science and engineering jobs were held by African Americans and only 3.4 percent by Hispanics. Women constitute over half of the postsecondary students in the nation, but represent a little more than one-quarter of our science and engineering workforce.

The America COMPETES Act tackles these disparities head on. Throughout the legislation, there is an emphasis on increasing the numbers of minorities and women in the STEM fields and on expanding the minority-serving institutions' participation in education, research and development.

The America COMPETES Act makes strategic investments in improving the STEM pipeline through education.

This legislation invests in 25,000 new teachers through professional development, summer training institutes, graduate education assistance, and scholarships through NSF's Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program and Math and Science Partnerships Program. In exchange for their scholarship, these teachers go to our highest need schools.

The America COMPETES Act includes provisions modeled after the successful U-Teach program at the University of Texas where students earn degrees in the STEM fields and teaching certificates at the same time. These newly minted teachers are placed, mentored, and supported in the schools where they are needed the most.

This legislation expands access to Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. It also establishes P-16 councils to coordinate education and workforce goals with industry and community leaders, and to identify the challenges of recruiting and retaining students in innovative fields.

I am especially pleased that this legislation addresses a quiet crisis in our high need high schools--the lack of quality laboratory science opportunities.

The National Research Council's report on America's High School Labs found that experience in high school labs was poor for most students and practically non-existent for students in low-income or minority communities. We will never produce enough STEM professionals if we do not address this issue.

I am very pleased that the legislation before us today includes the provisions of my bill, H.R. 524 Partnerships for Access to Laboratory Science Act. This legislation will establish a pilot program that will partner high need school districts with colleges and universities, and the private sector to improve high school laboratories. Through these pilots, we will be able to develop models and test effective practices for improving laboratory science in high need schools. We will leverage resources from the local community and the private sector, and build on our base of knowledge of what works in teaching science.

The America COMPETES Act is about our vision for the future of this country. It is about our belief in this nation's unlimited potential and our willingness to invest in it.

I would like to commend Chairman GORDON, Chairman MILLER and all of the members of the conference committee for their excellent work.

I urge my colleague to unanimously pass this legislation.

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