[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 29 (Thursday, February 28, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E216]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF STEM EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2013

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the 
importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) 
education to this country's future and posterity. Educating a STEM 
workforce has become increasingly central to U.S. economic 
competitiveness and growth and requires the collaborative efforts of 
government, private industry and non-profits to succeed.
  STEM fields are more important than ever to the development and 
maintenance of a high standard of life than ever. However, over the 
past several decades the performance of American students in STEM 
subjects has lagged behind their international peers. And at the same 
time that students are spending less time studying science in the 
classroom than they did a decade ago, only one out of every five 
households has access to STEM extracurricular activities.
  Employers are increasingly frustrated when searching for qualified 
applicants for high-paying STEM jobs. Job growth in STEM fields offers 
great potential, estimated to grow at the rate of 17 percent by 2018--
nearly double the rate of non-STEM related careers. Given these 
figures, it is difficult to understate the importance of STEM 
education, both in and outside of school, for our nation's collective 
economic future and the future our nation's students. Federal, state, 
and local governments must partner with the private sector to provide 
American students with the resources necessary to compete in an 
increasingly competitive global market.
  One private sector campaign aimed at addressing this issue is Time 
Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds (CAMM) program. CAMM is designed 
to inspire the next generation of problem solvers by connecting young 
people to the wonders of STEM outside of the classroom. Introduced in 
November 2009 in conjunction with President Obama's ``Educate to 
Innovate'' effort, CAMM has answered the President's call-to action for 
cross-sector partnerships to address the STEM crisis. In downstate New 
York, CAMM connects parents and students with dozens of local STEM 
resources that would otherwise remain untapped, including the Brooklyn 
Botanic Garden, the National Park Service at Hamilton Grange, and the 
New York Transit Museum.
  I want to congratulate Time Warner Cable for this important 
initiative and urge my colleague to recognize how essential such 
programs are to all of our communities.

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