[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 49 (Thursday, April 5, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E547-E548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      GETTING OUR GIRLS READY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY ACT (GO GIRL!)

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 4, 2001

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, what's wrong with this picture? Females 
make up slightly more than 50 percent of this country's population, 
yet, less than 30 percent of America's scientists are women. Even fewer 
engineers are women--less than 10 percent!
  In 1994 there were 209 tenured faculty at the Massachusetts Institute 
of Technology--and 15 of them were women!
  Of course, these figures aren't surprising when you learn that in 
1985 women earned less than thirty percent of the bachelor degrees in 
the physical sciences, and, less than ten percent of the bachelor 
degrees in engineering.
  You don't even want to hear the percentage of PhD's in science and 
math-based fields that are earned by women. Just to give you an 
example, about eight percent of the PhDs in physics in 1988 were 
awarded to women.
  My colleagues may be asking themselves, ``So what . . . is this some 
national problem?''
  Yes--this is a big problem. A big problem for employers; a big 
problem for women as future wage earners; and a big problem for our 
nation as we compete in the global marketplace.
  The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 1994 and 2005, 
the number of

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women in the labor force will be growing twice as quickly as men.
  A recent study of school-to-work projects found ninety percent of the 
girls clustered in five traditionally female occupations. My colleagues 
do not need me to tell them that careers in traditionally female 
occupations pay far less than careers in science, math, and technology. 
For example, a data analyst can expect to make $45,000 a year while a 
licensed practical nurse makes less than $25,000 a year. And a 
kindergarten teacher makes only $18,044 a year.
  In addition, the National Science Foundation reports that the jobs 
facing workers will require higher skill levels in science, math, and 
technology than ever before.
  The NSF report is verified by a letter I recently received from the 
American Electronics Association. They wrote to tell me that today the 
hi-tech industry is facing a critical shortage of skilled workers. And, 
the future looks even worse. A recent AEA report showed that the number 
of degrees in computer science, engineering, mathematics and physics 
have actually declined since 1990.
  Quite clearly, there is no way that America can have a technically 
competent workforce if the majority of students--females--continue not 
to study science, math and technology.
  That is why today I am introducing a bill to help school districts 
encourage girls to pursue careers in science, math, and technology.
  Although my bill is formally titled ``Getting Our Girls Ready for the 
21st Century Act'' it will be known as ``Go Girl!''
  ``Go Girl'' will create a bold new workforce of energized young women 
in science, math and technology.
  ``Go Girl'' is modeled on the Trio program, which has successfully 
encouraged two million low income students, whose parents never 
attended college, to attend and graduate from college. Similarly, the 
lack of female role models hamper female interest in studying science, 
math, and technology.
  Girls, and their parents, first, must be able to envision a career in 
these fields for themselves and their daughters. Then, they need 
practical advice on what to study and how to achieve the necessary 
academic requirements.
  ``Go Girl'' follows girls from the fourth grade, the grade in which 
girls typically begin to fall behind boys in math and science, through 
high school.
  To encourage girls' interest in math, science and technology in the 
early grades, girls will participate in events and activities that 
increase their awareness of careers in these fields, and they will meet 
female role models.
  Older girls will visit college campuses and meet with students and 
professors in these fields.
  ``Go Girl'' participants benefit from tutoring and mentoring, 
including programs using the internet, such as the ``design your future 
program'' started by Carol Bartz, the president of Autodesk Software 
Company.
  American school girls are close to fifty percent of america's future 
workforce. If they turn away from careers in science, math, and 
technology, we will be short changing our employers and our young 
women.
  I hope that my colleagues will join me in sending a new message to 
our girls in school--a message that says, ``you go, girl'' to a career 
in science, mathematics and technology.

                          ____________________