[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 30, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H1004-H1007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 59) supporting the goals and ideals of National
Engineers Week, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Res. 59
Whereas engineers use their professional, scientific, and
technical knowledge and skills in creative and innovative
ways to fulfill society's needs;
Whereas engineers have helped meet the major technological
challenges of our time--from rebuilding towns devastated by
natural disasters to designing an information superhighway
that will speed our country into the future;
Whereas engineers are a crucial link in research,
development, and demonstration and in transforming scientific
discoveries into useful products, and we will look more than
ever to engineers and their knowledge and skills to meet the
challenges of the future;
Whereas engineers play a crucial role in developing the
consensus engineering standards that permit modern economies
and societies to exist;
Whereas the 2006 National Academy of Sciences report
entitled ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' highlighted the
worrisome trend that fewer students are now focusing on
engineering in college at a time when increasing numbers of
today's 2,000,000 United States engineers are nearing
retirement;
Whereas the National Society of Professional Engineers
through National Engineers Week and other activities is
raising public awareness of engineers' significant, positive
contributions to societal needs;
Whereas National Engineers Week activities at engineering
schools and in other forums are encouraging our young math
and science students to see themselves as possible future
engineers and to realize the practical power of their
knowledge;
Whereas National Engineers Week has grown into a formal
coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and
cultural societies, and more than 50 major corporations and
government agencies;
Whereas National Engineers Week is celebrated during the
week of George Washington's birthday to honor the
contributions that our first President, a military engineer
and land surveyor, made to engineering; and
Whereas February 18 to 24, 2007, has been designated by the
President as National Engineers Week: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of National Engineers
Week and its aims to increase understanding of and interest
in engineering and technology careers and to promote literacy
in math and science; and
(2) will work with the engineering community to make sure
that the creativity and contribution of that community can be
expressed through research, development, standardization, and
innovation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks, and to
include extraneous material on H. Res. 59, the resolution now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 59, supporting the
goals and ideals of National Engineers Week.
National Engineers Week takes place this year February 18 through
February 24. This is not a random week that is chosen; it is chosen
because this is the week that we celebrate George Washington's
birthday. George Washington is widely recognized as our Nation's first
engineer.
Engineers have helped make our country great from their service in
the American Revolution to developing key modern industries, such as
aerospace and energy. I would like to honor and recognize the more than
2 million engineers in the United States and the contributions that
they have made to our country.
Engineers are at the forefront of human advances because engineers
combine imagination and creativity, with math and science training to
solve problems. Engineers are not just builders, as they are sometimes
envisioned; they are problem solvers. This is one of the first things I
was taught when I was a graduate student at Stanford University in the
department of engineering economic systems.
Engineers in the past have helped build the boats to cross the seas,
railroads to take us west, and the Internet to communicate with the
world. We need the innovative capability of engineers to confront the
problems and challenges before us today. Engineers will help Americans
develop energy independence, find solutions to confront global climate
change, and make our Nation more secure.
I have a unique perspective as only one of a handful of engineers in
Congress. Besides my Master's degree from Stanford, I earned a
Bachelor's degree
[[Page H1005]]
from Northwestern University in mechanical engineering. I have seen
that America is falling behind other countries in this discipline. U.S.
students continue to score below international averages on math and
science tests. It has been reported that in 2004 China graduated more
than six times the number of engineers that graduated in the U.S.
On a recent tour of Northern Illinois University's college of
engineering and engineering technology, I again heard how few Americans
are getting engineering degrees, especially graduate degrees. It is
great that America has such top universities that we are attracting
some of the brightest minds from around the world to come to study
here, but we are beginning to lose more and more of these students when
they graduate and they go back home. This is harmful to America's
future.
In 2005, the National Academy of Sciences released a report entitled,
``Rising Above the Gathering Storm,'' which raised questions about
America's future technological competitiveness. This report echoed by
the President of the United States in the State of the Union address
last year emphasized the need for government to take a number of
actions, including addressing the potential for a shortage of
engineers.
We must act quickly to take up this challenge. We cannot let another
year go by and we cannot afford to let our economic future falter, and
that future requires continuing technological innovation supplied by
our Nation's engineers.
National Engineers Week seeks to raise public awareness about
engineers' contributions to society and our quality of life. It has
inspired future engineers for more than 50 years. Founded by the
National Society of Professional Engineers, including more than 100
society, government, and business sponsors and affiliates, including
Boeing, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American
Council of Engineering Companies, National Engineers Week draws upon
local and regional experts to promote high levels of math, science, and
technology literacy. Annually, it reaches thousands of parents,
teachers, and students in communities across the country.
From national and regional engineering competitions such as the
Future City Competition, to events such as Introduce a Girl to
Engineering Day, this week helps inspire the next generation of
engineers and scientists.
{time} 1345
If we are going to produce more American engineers, one needed step
is to improve STEM education, that is science, technology, engineering
and math education. But we must also do more to inspire our children to
become interested in engineering.
When I was growing up in Chicago, I was fascinated in learning how
things work, as most kids are. I remember it was Father Fergus who
taught me physics in high school at St. Ignatius, and in that class he
took my childhood fascination with how things worked and got me
interested in engineering. He spurred me to follow up on that when I
went to college.
We need events such as National Engineers Week and things that go on
within the week to help encourage and inspire more kids to go into
engineering. We have to do everything we can to inspire future
engineers so that America continues its leadership in this increasingly
competitive world.
I would like to thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Inglis)
for his involvement also with this National Engineers Week resolution.
And I would like to especially thank the engineers that contributed so
much to America and to honor them for their commitment to continue
working to better our society.
I ask my colleagues to support H. Res. 59 in its deserved
recognition.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
H. Res. 59, of course, supports the goals and ideals of National
Engineers Week, which is going to be celebrated this year during the
week of February 18. The National Society of Professional Engineers
established the first National Engineers Week back in 1951. The purpose
of the week is to increase the understanding of and interest in
engineering and technology careers, and to promote K-12 literacy in
math and science. It also showcases the important contributions that
engineers have made to our society.
Engineers have a critical role to play to help keep our Nation ahead
of the innovation curve. It is essential that we capitalize on
opportunities such as National Engineers Week to raise the awareness of
the valuable work and contributions of engineers to society and to
attract young people of all ages to this very rewarding profession. As
such, I ask my colleagues to support H. Res. 59.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson).
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I would like to
express my strong support for H. Res. 59, and the authors that made
this possible, supporting the goals and ideals of National Engineers
Week.
Texas is an energy-producing State, and the engineering workforce
plays a major role in Texas livelihoods.
The fruits of engineering are technologies enjoyed by every American.
We need engineers to put creative ideas into real-life solutions.
Engineers are the fabric of our workforce. They design beautiful and
energy-efficient buildings, and build industrial robots that construct
everything from cars to computer chips with precision. Engineers are in
the business of improving the quality and design of many different
products such as chemicals, computers, engines, aircraft and toys, and
they are an integral component to our Nation's innovative workforce.
We need many more than we produce, and we need many more to get
graduate degrees so we can continue to produce them.
I am proud to support this resolution celebrating National Engineers
Week, and urge my colleagues to support it.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman
from South Carolina (Mr. Inglis), the ranking member on Energy.
Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.
Res. 59, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National
Engineers Week.
It is particularly helpful to have people from all walks of life in
this body. It is especially helpful to have Mr. Lipinski as an engineer
here, along with some other engineers, to cause us to focus on the
crucial need for engineering education in this country.
My dad is an engineer. He lost this son to political science and the
law. Not everybody can be an engineer. But the folks that can be
engineers really will help us solve the challenges of the future.
Here is our challenge in terms of numbers: India is graduating
somewhere north of 200,000 engineers a year; China is graduating nearly
300,000 engineers a year; and the United States is somewhere in the
order of magnitude of 60,000 engineers a year. That doesn't bode well
for us.
In a technological world, we need more engineers. We need people to
enter science, technology, engineering and math education. And so it is
a good thing to have a week to celebrate the importance of engineering
to the history of the country and to the future of the country. I
applaud the gentleman from Illinois' effort to bring this to the floor,
and I am in complete support of the resolution and look forward to its
adoption.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
New Jersey (Mr. Holt), the distinguished plasma physicist.
Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Illinois.
Madam Speaker, as one who has taught engineers earlier in my career,
I am delighted to rise in support of this legislation that will
recognize National Engineers Week and, through that, highlight the
contributions made to society by engineers.
The programs that fit under National Engineers Week are broad. They
will include such activities as Introduce a Girl to Engineering that
will encourage women to pursue engineering and recognize those who do.
Other initiatives will include competitions and online exhibits, as
well as
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television programs. It will highlight that engineering is critical to
the security of our country, certainly through developing sustainable
energy production and use, in preventing and mitigating natural and
man-made disasters, and to make our world work better and to contribute
to the livability of our society.
Now Congress can pass this legislation supporting the excellent
programming of National Engineers Week. Congress can also ensure that
we make the best decisions based on the best information related to
science, engineering and technology, such as we used to do with the
help of the Office of Technology Assessment.
Congress can pass legislation to ensure that students nationwide are
taught technical skills, that they are taught the importance of those
skills as well, and to make sure that there are no financial obstacles
for individuals who seek to pursue higher education in engineering and
related fields. And Congress can ensure that federally funded research
and development is not neglected as we put together the budget.
This is good legislation that highlights important work. I am pleased
to support it.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Missouri who is an engineer, Mr. Akin.
Mr. AKIN. Madam Speaker, I thought it would be appropriate to make a
comment or two about engineering because I was trained as an engineer.
I must not have been much of one because I ended up in politics. It
doesn't happen that often that people who have an engineering
background end up in the political sector; but it is quite common in
engineering for people to get the undergraduate degree and then to move
into other kinds of areas, and the engineering background gives them a
tremendous problem-solving basis to be able to be quite effective in
various other kinds of careers.
It is a national concern to us as Americans that we are producing
fewer and fewer engineers. What happened was, in the era of Sputnik
when I was a kid, everybody realized we were technologically behind,
particularly behind the Soviet Union, and realized the urgency in
having people develop an interest and background in science and
engineering. At that time, we produced a good number of engineers, and
they were fine engineers. They now work for many of our household-name
large corporations, certainly many in my own district, Boeing
Corporation, for example.
These engineers have also started all kinds of different businesses
and been very successful, and have been very successful in producing a
lot of the technology that keeps our young men and women safe on the
battlefields. It also is technology that has given us a wonderfully
high standard of living and has allowed America to prosper in many
ways.
Unfortunately, now there is a tremendous dearth of engineers. We have
a number of small companies that produce products that are related to
the defense industry that I know of in the St. Louis area, just as an
example, and they are saying that we would give anything to be able to
hire engineers. We just can't get any of them. The only engineers we
can get are coming out of India or some other country far away, and our
own students, Americans, are not choosing careers in engineering. That
is distressing.
I suppose that there are reasons for why this is going on. Perhaps
one of them is the malaise and the very lukewarm kind of results that
we are getting out of secondary education in America. The SAT scores
are continuously changed year to year, and they can be adjusted
downward. Engineering is very rigorous. It requires an understanding of
mathematics, and it is a very hard undergraduate degree. Many people
that start in engineering end up in something like political science.
It is far easier than engineering.
But there are rewards in engineering, and if there are young people
that are paying attention to what we are discussing here on the floor
of the U.S. Congress today, I would encourage them that engineering is
a fantastic undergraduate choice, and it doesn't have to end up behind
a drawing board. It ends up in all kinds of positions and opportunities
to those who have a disciplined mind and are capable of understanding
basic principles of how things work.
I have to say, in Congress it is tremendously helpful. I serve on the
Committee on Armed Services, and we are constantly getting involved in
technical kinds of questions, things like armor on Humvees, body armor,
how to defeat IEDs, all of the technology of software and people
tapping into databases. On the Science Committee, as well, we deal with
all kinds of areas, everything from exploration of space to the simple
use of materials.
I would encourage all young people to seriously consider engineering.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
California, a new member of the Science Committee and an engineer
himself, Mr. McNerney.
Mr. McNERNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 59 and the
goals and ideals of National Engineers Week.
As an engineer for my entire professional career and only one of a
handful in the House, I thank Mr. Lipinski for introducing this
legislation to bring the spotlight onto this professional career
choice.
My father was an engineer; I am very proud to be following in his
footsteps. As we vote on this legislation today, I am reminded of
something that my mother used to tell me over and over: It was the
engineers that would be solving many of our Nation's and our world's
problems. Her words couldn't have been more relevant than they are
today, as we face many challenges such as global warming, the demand
for fresh water and food throughout the world.
Well, in the 1970s, the engineering profession wasn't considered the
most exciting, but throughout the 1990s, we became aware of how
exciting the challenges are that we are facing in engineering; and this
has led to a resurgence in interest and inspired a whole generation of
young people.
{time} 1400
I am hopeful that with the passage of H. Res. 59 we will help inspire
more of those young people to get involved in the engineering
profession.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my friend Mr. Lipinski.
Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I wanted to let the majority know that I
have no other speakers requesting time, and I will just reserve the
balance of my time for my closing remarks.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. We
have no more speakers besides myself.
Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I want to thank the Chair for allowing me to manage the remaining
time on our side in the absence of the ranking member, Mr. Hall, who
had a very important meeting before the Rules Committee, and I thank
the Chair for allowing that.
Madam Speaker, I am not an engineer but I went to an engineering
school. In fact, I went to one of the very best engineering schools in
this country. I am a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a heck of an
engineer and actually not an engineer but a chemist. I look forward to
the next bill as we honor Dr. Julian.
But engineering, Madam Speaker, is a profession in this country that
is very, very important to us, to our ability to compete in this global
economy, and as we all know, we are losing unfortunately far too many
engineers to retirement and not replacing them. If we are going to
remain competitive in this country, and I know the work of the
Education and Labor Committee of this House and Chairman Miller and
before him Chairman McKeon and Chairman Boehner, we have addressed
these issues in our reauthorization of higher education and how
important it is; and I know that Chairman Miller, as we go forward to
reauthorizing No Child Left Behind and highly qualified teachers and
special incentives for math and science teachers at elementary, middle
and high school levels so that we do stimulate more bright young minds
in this country, and yes, many more women than may be traditionally
would select engineering as a professional track, as a career, because
this is the only way we are going to be able to compete in this global
economy.
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I love sports, Madam Speaker, and I know we all do and we honor
sports teams all the time up here, whether it is basketball, football,
hockey. You name it, we are doing these resolutions, but I like to see
more and more of this kind of activity where we are supporting the
goals and ideals of National Engineering Week with H. Res. 59 to say,
look, what is really important in this country is not games. Games are
fun and games are a diversion, but this is about life and the success
of our individual young students and, indeed, our country.
So to have an opportunity to stand here and have the closing remarks
on supporting H. Res. 59, I commend the majority and my friend
Representative Lipinski and others that have brought this,
Representative Johnson and other members of the Science Committee. I
think this is a wonderful opportunity to salute our engineers and the
profession.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I thank Mr. Inglis, Mr. Gingrey and Mr. Hall for their support on
this resolution. As an engineer but also as a former political science
professor, I do not want to disparage political science whatsoever.
However, it is clear that America does need more engineers, and to do
this we have to value engineers and engineering much more in this
country.
I am very hopeful that this resolution is going to be the first step
that this Congress takes to not only honor our current engineers but
also inspire more American children to become engineers and to find the
solutions to the challenges that we face today.
We need to do more. We need to take more steps. We need to improve
science, technology, engineering, math, known as STEM education. We
need more R&D funding; but today, let us just take this first step and
urge my colleagues to take this first step. Vote for H. Res. 59 and
honor engineers during National Engineers Week.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise in strong
support of H. Res. 59 which supports the goals and ideas of National
Engineer Week. As you know, new discoveries and technologies are
changing the way Americans live and work. Through dedicated research
and development, engineers expand our knowledge and lay the foundation
for the progress of our country. This week is an opportunity to
recognize engineers for their many contributions to our way of life and
to encourage young people to pursue their curiosity by studying math
and science.
Engineering education began in America under circumstances that
differ substantially from those of the other leading professions.
Medical schools, for example, were established by individual
physicians, and then loosely affiliated with universities.
By contrast, engineers were first trained by apprenticeship,
particularly on canal construction projects. This tradition was
perpetuated on railroad construction projects, and later in factories
and machine shops, long after college engineering programs were
established. Eventually, engineering schools in the United States were
sponsored by the Federal Government, the U.S. Military Academy in 1802,
and the land-grant colleges beginning in 1862. They were also fostered
by public-spirited citizens who fostered the Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and from
within established universities in response to interest or demand.
The engineering workforce is the driver of society's technological
engine, an awesome responsibility. We will not be able to address this
responsibility without diversifying the pool of science and engineering
talent. This broadening of participation must come from the Land of
Plenty, mostly untapped potential of underrepresented minorities and
women--America's ``competitive edge'' for the 21st century.
We know that more than any other species, humans are configured to be
the most flexible learners. Humans are intentional learners, proactive
in acquiring knowledge and skills. And, it turns out that we are more
successful learners if we are mindful or cognizant of ourselves as
learners and thinkers.
To date, our knowledge of the science of learning, is just the tip of
the iceberg of what we have yet to learn. Our ultimate goal is truly
not to waste a single child and to teach and train a workforce that is
well prepared and can adapt and change.
The revolution in information technologies connected and integrated
researchers and research fields in a way never before possible. The
Nation's IT capability has acted like adrenaline to all of science and
engineering. A next step is to build the most advanced computer-
communications infrastructure for researchers to use, while
simultaneously broadening its accessibility.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Lee). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 59.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
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