[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               SUPPORTING THE IDEALS OF NATIONAL LAB DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 4, 2010

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 1213, 
which recognizes the need to increase student participation in the 
fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). H. 
Res. 1213 also supports the ideals of National Lab Day, a national 
initiative designed to bring together educators, scientists and 
community members in the interest of providing students from 
kindergarten through 12th grade with hands-on scientific learning 
experiences. On National Lab Day, which is celebrated every year during 
the first week of May, scientists and other STEM professionals can give 
back to the community by volunteering their time to work with educators 
and students on lab projects.
  Women and minorities have long been underrepresented in STEM careers. 
We need to reverse this trend so that STEM professionals better reflect 
the diverse character of our nation. Several initiatives in my district 
and the surrounding region have taken steps to make this happen. Great 
Minds in STEM is a nonprofit organization that operates an afterschool 
program in the Compton Unified School District in Compton, California 
that educates students from underrepresented demographic groups in STEM 
subject areas. STEM UP is another initiative that is working to 
establish a STEM education program in Southern California that focuses 
on increasing diversity.
  The skills taught through STEM education are essential to an 
increasing number of jobs in the United States. The Bureau of Labor 
Statistics projects that science and engineering occupations will grow 
by 21.4 percent from 2004 to 2014, while non-STEM occupations will only 
grow by 13 percent. Additionally, equipping more Americans with 
advanced skills in STEM is essential to ensuring America's 
competitiveness in the global marketplace. In 2006, only 4.5 percent of 
college graduates in the United States majored in a STEM field compared 
with 25.4 percent of graduates in South Korea, 33.3 percent of 
graduates in China, and 39.1 percent of graduates in Singapore. We must 
graduate more students with the technical knowledge needed to succeed 
in an increasingly globalized and hi-tech economy.
  I consider increasing educational and employment opportunities in the 
STEM fields to be so important that I recently introduced the America 
RISING Act of 2010. This bill will pay the salaries for two years of 
recent college graduates who are hired by small businesses or larger 
companies with operations in areas of low employment. It also 
establishes a higher education opportunity program which will provide 
funding to recent college graduates to help them obtain two years of 
additional education and training in the STEM fields.
  I salute the hard work and dedication of the volunteers, teachers, 
and students involved in National Lab Day and the organizations 
committed to increasing participation in STEM disciplines and careers.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1213.

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