[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 134 (Tuesday, September 11, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTION DIGITAL AND WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY 
                        OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 4, 2007

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE OF Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 694, 
the Minority Serving Institution Digital and Wireless Technology 
Opportunity Act of 2007. H.R. 694 will further enhance the quality of 
service of the academic institutions of our nation by providing the 
technological advances in the quality and delivery of educational 
services. I support H.R. 694 because it secures a foundation of 
excellence for the minds of tomorrow by enriching the academic 
experience and insuring that more students have the opportunity to 
receive a quality education.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand before you today in support of a 
bill that will assist (1) historically black colleges and universities, 
(2) Hispanic-, Alaskan Native-, or Native Hawaiian-serving 
institutions; (3) tribally controlled colleges or universities; or (4) 
institutions with a sufficient enrollment of underprivileged students 
as defined under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
  Mr. Speaker, as a former member of the Science Committee and a strong 
supporter of minority institutions, I have been a champion for closing 
the digital divide as well as the math and science proficiency gap that 
exists between American youth and other youth around the world. This 
divide is especially wide between minority and low income students. I 
believe that H.R. 694 is essential in decreasing the academic gap of 
the quality of education that is often defined by one's income or 
economic status and will further enhance competitiveness in a 
globalized economy.
  The Information Technology Association of America says in a newly 
released study that the percentage of women working in technology 
fields has dropped almost 20 percent since 1996. This statistic is true 
even though the percentage of women in the overall workforce remained 
relatively unchanged during that time period. The reason for the drop 
is mainly the fact that administrative jobs in the tech industry are 
decreasing, and about a third of the women in the IT workforce serve in 
administrative positions. The ITAA analyzes information from the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics, BLS, Current Population Surveys to evaluate trends 
in the American workforce and compiles reports breaking down the data 
into percentages to determine the progression and regression of 
diversity. Previous ITAA diversity studies were conducted in 1998 and 
2003. The reports also include a discussion of possible barriers to 
underrepresented groups and solutions for overcoming them.
  Their study also showed that Hispanics are the most underrepresented 
racial group in IT jobs, comprising only 13 percent of the labor pool 
but only about 6.5 percent of IT workers. However, Hispanics 
represented less than 5.5 percent in 1996, so their numbers are slowly 
but steadily growing, even though the Hispanic population in the U.S. 
is the fastest-growing, and they constitute almost 13 percent of the 
overall workforce. African Americans are underrepresented by 22 
percent, with their numbers actually dropping 1 percent since 1996, 
from 9 percent in 1996 to 8 percent in 2004. The percentage of African 
Americans in the overall workforce in 2004 is the same as it was in 
1996, 10.7 percent. Interestingly, there are 6.6 percent fewer whites 
in the IT workforce than in the overall workforce. Asians continue to 
be significantly overrepresented in the IT workforce, by almost 200 
percent.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill will increase the number of persons from most 
minority groups either training or working in information technology, 
which over the years has been consistently low. Considering only those 
students who graduate from college, the percentages of Native 
Americans, African Americans, and Hispanics receiving a degree in 
computer or information science is actually higher than the percentage 
among non-Hispanic white males. However, this promising statistic is 
more than offset by the low number of minorities moving through the 
educational pipeline.
  There are very few minority role models in information technology. 
Minority students are less likely to have computers at home or at 
school on which to gain early exposure to information technology. 
Students who attend historically black colleges and universities face 
limited computing facilities, compared with the average U.S. college or 
university. Thus, H.R. 694 will allow minority students the opportunity 
to utilize the technological advances necessary to compete in today's 
society.
  H.R. 694 directs the Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology to: 
(1) establish an advisory council to advise on the best approaches 
toward maximum program participation by eligible institutions; and (2) 
ensure that grant awards are made to all types of eligible 
institutions. This bill is a huge step in the right direction of 
narrowing the technology and science gap between minority students and 
others.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 694.

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