America Competes Reauthorization Act Of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. I thank my friend from Texas.

Mr. Chair, let me start by thanking my colleagues for their leadership on this important legislation, both the chairman and the ranking member.

As the co-chair of the Diversity and Innovation Caucus, my colleague from Texas has been a true champion for STEM education, particularly in our underrepresented communities. Chairman Gordon and the members of the Science and Technology Committee have certainly shown leadership on this issue as well.

Our amendment builds upon that work by requiring the new STEM coordinating committee created in this legislation to work with each agency under its jurisdiction to promote more public awareness of career opportunities in the STEM fields, particularly within the Federal workforce. We have a hard time filling positions in the science, technology, and engineering and math fields, and I believe part of the trouble is that, one, people don't know that they are out there and, two, they don't realize that careers like this are available in public service. So clearly we can do better.

Our amendment also calls for new outreach strategies to women, Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, and other students from underrepresented communities in the Federal workforce. Even in minority majority school systems like Prince William County, and Fairfax County in my district, we are working especially hard to make sure enrollment in STEM programs reflects the diversity of our student body.

Another key component of our amendment would require the STEM coordinating committee to create and maintain an online, searchable database of all federally funded STEM education programs that benefit students, teachers, and the general public.

We are providing tremendous opportunity in the STEM fields, but more people need to know about them and be excited about them for it to be successful.

Mr. Chairman, my experience in local government showed me that investments in education of our children attract families and jobs. The school and business communities in my district have made significant investments in our local STEM programs, whether it is Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax, whose tie I am wearing today, or the new Governor's School at Innovation Park in Prince William County.

Those efforts are just one reason why at least nine Fortune 500 companies have brought their headquarters to Northern Virginia and why the Commonwealth of Virginia has the highest concentration of technology-related jobs in the United States, half of them in northern Virginia.

This bill will further support those local efforts and better position our region and our Nation to be a leader in the global economy.

I join my colleague from Texas in urging our colleagues to support this important amendment.

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