[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 84 (Monday, June 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENHANCING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION 
                         ACT OF 2009, H.R. 2710

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 8, 2009

  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, last week I reintroduced the ``Enhancing 
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (E-STEM) 
Act of 2009,'' H.R. 2710. This legislation, improved from last 
Congress, provides comprehensive mechanisms to coordinate the Nation's 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education 
initiatives. Forty-nine members of the United States House of 
Representatives signed on as original cosponsors of this bipartisan 
legislation.
  The intent of this bill is to increase the coordination, 
collaboration, and coherence to Science, Technology, Engineering, and 
Mathematics (STEM) education initiatives for the students of today and 
the citizens and workers of tomorrow.
  As a former teacher, principal and school board member I am deeply 
committed to improving the education we provide our young people. 
Developing citizens that are critical thinkers and scientifically 
literate will help drive a vibrant society and create sound economic 
policy. Our economy depends on our country's education.
  Today, more than ever, our economic resiliency depends on the 
competitiveness of our labor force. Unfortunately, the signs are not 
good. Over 25 years ago, ``A Nation at Risk'' identified America's need 
to improve STEM education to ensure that we remain competitive in an 
increasingly global economy. In this country we have many successful 
STEM education programs. The challenge is that these programs are not 
coordinated. Over a dozen agencies are engaged in STEM education and 
often not aware of the efforts of other agencies--they are working in 
isolation. Our Nation is not maximizing the impact of our STEM 
education initiatives.
  The E-STEM Act will provide a framework for federal agencies, the 
states and all stake-holders, to work collaboratively. It will help 
them establish national STEM education goals, coordinate STEM education 
initiatives, and avoid unnecessary duplication among these efforts.
  The bill has four major components:
  (1) Elevating the STEM Education Subcommittee at the President's 
Office of Science Technology Policy (OSTP) to the standing committee 
level. This change would give STEM education a higher profile within 
OSTP and establish the mechanism for the coordination of federal STEM 
education initiatives.
  (2) Establishing an Assistant Secretary for STEM Education at the 
U.S. Department of Education. This Office would bring together the 
Department's STEM education efforts and manage programs such as Math 
and Science Partnerships, Math Now, Math Skills for Secondary Students, 
Minority Science and Engineering Improvement, Teachers for a 
Competitive Tomorrow, and Upward Bound Math-Science as well as the non-
financial aid components of the National Science and Mathematics Access 
Retain Talent (SMART grants), the Teacher Education Assistance for 
College and Higher Education (TEACH grants), and the Academic 
Competitiveness grants.
  (3) Creating the State Consortium on STEM Education. This voluntary 
group of states will be provided with support to align their STEM 
education efforts. Their mission is to coordinate policies to address 
weaknesses in STEM education. For example, the Consortium will work 
with stakeholders to identify strategies to improve the representation 
of women and minorities in STEM fields.
  (4) And lastly, this bill establishes the National STEM Education 
Resource Repository (NSERR). This clearing house will be a portal to 
information about all federally funded STEM education programs, making 
the results of the more than $3 billion the Federal Government spends 
annually on STEM education available to local educators. NSERR will 
make STEM education resources, research and promising practices and 
exemplary programs widely available to educators, search engines, and 
third party developers to create applications to enhance STEM teaching 
and learning.
  We need to ensure that all our children are prepared for citizenship 
in a world that is increasingly dependent on STEM literacy. The bleak 
outlook for our economy should be a wake-up call that we cannot 
continue to move forward without a blue print for our students and our 
future economic well-being. This is why I reintroduced the E-STEM Act.
  I want to thank all my colleagues for joining together to address the 
critical needs of our Nation. I look forward to working together to 
move this legislation through this Congress.

                          ____________________