Rubio, Klobuchar Applaud Senate Passage of Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act

Statement

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) applauded the Senate passage of their bipartisan Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act (S.153), which would assist veterans re-entering the workforce by directing the National Science Foundation to encourage veterans to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

"The future of work in the 21st century will be dominated by STEM roles, and the United States should prioritize policies that utilize our well-qualified veterans to fill this future workforce," Rubio said. "I thank my Senate colleagues for unanimously approving this important and bipartisan bill to ensure our nation's veterans have the skills and opportunities to succeed in STEM careers. I look forward to working with our colleagues in the House to get this bill to the President. We owe it to our nation's heroes to ensure this bipartisan bill gets across the finish line."

"Our veterans aren't just heroes on the battlefield--they are the scientists, teachers, inventors, and engineers who will lead us to a brighter future. The passage of the Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act through the Senate brings us one step closer to bringing veterans the benefits of well-paying jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math, and helping employers better meet their hiring needs. By supporting veterans in their transition to civilian life through STEM career training, we not only help them to succeed, but also strengthen our economy and our nation," Klobuchar said.

The Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act would also require the Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish an interagency working group to improve veteran and spouse equity and representation in STEM fields and to develop a strategic plan to address the barriers that veterans face when reentering the workforce. The bill is supported by The Manufacturing Institute, Samsung, TechNet, Verizon, and the Consumer Technology Association.

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