[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 163 (Thursday, October 25, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL CHEMISTRY WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. SILVESTRE REYES

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 22, 2007

  Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 751, a 
resolution I have introduced supporting the goals and ideals of 
National Chemistry Week, which starts today, October 22, 2007.
  During the next 5 days, millions of people, particularly students in 
elementary and secondary schools, will be engaged in chemistry-related 
activities that show the importance of chemistry to our quality of 
life. With assistance from American Chemical Society, ACS, staff, 
thousands of volunteers will conduct these activities in venues from 
shopping malls, to classrooms, to university labs.
  National Chemistry Week was created by ACS in 1987 to draw attention 
to the positive contributions chemistry makes to our everyday lives. 
These contributions include helping feed, house, and clothe the world's 
population; tapping new energy sources; providing renewable substitutes 
for limited materials; improving public health; strengthening our 
national security; and protecting our environment.
  During this year's 20th anniversary of National Chemistry Week, we 
are celebrating ``The Many Faces of Chemistry.'' This theme was chosen 
to emphasize the extensive variety of careers available in the world of 
chemistry and to honor the tremendous diversity of people who have 
contributed and will contribute to the advancement of chemistry and all 
of its branches. This year's theme takes added importance when you 
consider that a disproportionately low number of minority, 
underprivileged, and young women students are taking up careers in 
science and technology.
  The inclusion of women and under-represented minorities in science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, STEM, is not just 
important to correct for historical employment inequities, but to 
provide under-represented minorities an opportunity for prosperity. The 
increased education and participation of this segment of the workforce 
is also essential to supplying the American economy with the STEM 
expertise the country needs to innovate and remain competitive. 
According to the U.S. Census, 39 percent of the population under the 
age of 18 is a racial or ethnic minority. That percentage is on a path 
to pass 50 percent by the year 2050. Yet, in 2000, only 4.4 percent of 
the science and engineering jobs were held by African Americans and 
only 3.4 percent by Hispanics. Women constitute over half of the post-
secondary students in the Nation, but represent a little more than one-
quarter of our science and engineering workforce. We must correct these 
disparities, and fast.
  This is not an issue of compromising high standards. If America is to 
achieve its strategic objectives in STEM, the enormous potential of 
groups that are currently under-represented in the STEM fields must be 
realized through expanded and focused educational opportunity. Some see 
tension between policies that focus resources on certain groups and the 
pursuit for excellence, but the simple truth is that the general 
achievement of excellence is strongly linked to the prevalence of 
opportunity.

  Scientists from these under-represented groups have demonstrated 
excellence through important contributions to our understanding of the 
environment and the sciences. Two notable examples include Mario 
Molina, an atmospheric chemist who received a Nobel Prize for his work 
establishing the link between CFCs and atmospheric ozone destruction, 
and Percy L. Julian, who was the first black chemist elected to the 
National Academy of Sciences and whose work in synthesizing a compound 
used to treat glaucoma led to his having been ranked by ACS as one of 
the top 75 Distinguished Contributors to the Chemical Enterprise.
  If we are to remain an innovative and economically competitive 
nation, the face of our high-tech workforce must reflect the true face 
of America. Our workforce will not be the best America has to offer if 
we do not ensure that we are taking advantage of all pools of domestic 
talent. ``The Many Faces of Chemistry'' theme is especially significant 
because it focuses on promoting diversity, which will help ensure 
national competitiveness by encouraging broad participation from all 
sources of talent in the sciences and chemistry.
  I thank the American Chemical Society for their work in promoting the 
chemical sciences and the important role of diversity. I urge my 
colleagues to support this resolution.

                          ____________________