[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORTING THE GOALS OF NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Commerce Committee be 
discharged from consideration of S. Res. 417 and we now move to that 
matter.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 417) supporting the goals and ideals 
     of National Engineers Week, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid on the 
table, there be no intervening action or debate, and any statements 
relating to this matter be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 417) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 417

       Whereas engineers use their professional, scientific, and 
     technical knowledge and skills in creative and innovative 
     ways to fulfill the needs of society;
       Whereas engineers have helped to address the major 
     technological and infrastructural challenges of our time, 
     including providing water, defending the Nation, and 
     developing clean energy technologies that are needed to power 
     the American people into the future;
       Whereas engineers are a crucial link in research, 
     development, and the transformation of scientific discoveries 
     into useful products and jobs, as the people of the United 
     States look more than ever to engineers and their 
     imagination, knowledge, and analytical skills to meet the 
     challenges of the future;
       Whereas engineers play a crucial role in developing the 
     consensus engineering standards that promote global 
     collaboration and support reliable infrastructures;
       Whereas the sponsors of National Engineers Week are working 
     together to transform the engineering workforce through 
     greater inclusion of women and underrepresented minorities;
       Whereas the 2009 National Academy of Engineering and 
     National Research Council report entitled ``Engineering in K-
     12 Education'' highlighted the potential role for engineering 
     in primary and secondary education as a method to improve 
     learning and achievement in science and mathematics, increase 
     awareness of engineering and the work of engineers, help 
     students understand and engage in engineering design, build 
     interest in pursuing engineering as a career, and increase 
     technological literacy;
       Whereas an increasing number of the approximately 1,500,000 
     engineers in the United States are nearing retirement;
       Whereas National Engineers Week has developed into a formal 
     coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major 
     corporations, and government agencies that are dedicated to 
     ensuring a diverse and well-educated engineering workforce, 
     promoting literacy in science, technology, engineering, and 
     math, and raising public awareness and appreciation of the 
     contributions of engineers to society;
       Whereas National Engineers Week is celebrated during the 
     week of George Washington's birthday to honor the 
     contributions that the first President, who was both a 
     military engineer and a land surveyor, made to engineering; 
     and
       Whereas, February 14, 2010, to February 20, 2010, has been 
     designated as National Engineers Week by the National 
     Engineers Week Foundation and its coalition members: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Engineers 
     Week to increase understanding of and interest in engineering 
     careers and to promote technological literacy and engineering 
     education; and
       (2) continues to work with the engineering community to 
     ensure that the creativity and contributions made by 
     engineers can be expressed through research, development, 
     standardization, and innovation.

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