[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 3 (Tuesday, January 7, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S70]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

 SENATE RESOLUTION 329--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF 
 THE BIENNIAL USA SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FESTIVAL IN WASHINGTON, DC AND 
DESIGNATING APRIL 21 THROUGH APRIL 27, 2014, AS ``NATIONAL SCIENCE AND 
                           TECHNOLOGY WEEK''

  Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Alexander, Mr. 
Baucus, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Ayotte, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted 
the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 329

       Whereas science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
     (referred to in this preamble as ``STEM'') are essential to 
     the future global competitiveness of the United States;
       Whereas advances in technology have resulted in significant 
     improvement in the daily lives of individuals in the United 
     States;
       Whereas scientific discoveries are critical to curing 
     diseases, solving global challenges, and an increased 
     understanding of the world;
       Whereas the future global economy will require a workforce 
     that is educated in science and engineering specialties;
       Whereas educating a new generation of individuals in the 
     United States in STEM is crucial to ensure continued economic 
     growth;
       Whereas increasing the interest of the next generation of 
     students in the United States, particularly young women and 
     underrepresented minorities, in STEM is necessary to maintain 
     the global competitiveness of the United States;
       Whereas science and engineering festivals have attracted 
     millions of participants and inspired a national effort to 
     promote science and engineering;
       Whereas thousands of universities, museums, science 
     centers, STEM professional societies, educational societies, 
     government agencies and laboratories, community 
     organizations, elementary and secondary schools, volunteers, 
     corporate and private sponsors, and nonprofit organizations 
     have come together to organize the USA Science & Engineering 
     Festival in Washington, DC in April 2014;
       Whereas the USA Science & Engineering Festival will 
     reinvigorate the interest of young people in the United 
     States in STEM and highlight the important contributions of 
     science and engineering to the competitiveness of the United 
     States through exhibits on topics that include human 
     spaceflight, medicine, engineering, biotechnology, physics, 
     and astronomy; and
       Whereas scientific research is essential to the 
     competitiveness of the United States, and events like the USA 
     Science & Engineering Festival promote the importance of 
     scientific research and development to the future of the 
     United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses support for the goals and ideals of the USA 
     Science & Engineering Festival to promote scholarship in 
     science and an interest in scientific research and 
     development, as the cornerstones of innovation and 
     competition in the United States;
       (2) supports festivals, such as the USA Science & 
     Engineering Festival, that focus on the importance of science 
     and engineering to the daily lives of individuals in the 
     United States through exhibits on topics that include human 
     spaceflight, medicine, engineering, biotechnology, physics, 
     and astronomy;
       (3) congratulates all individuals and organizations whose 
     efforts will make possible the USA Science & Engineering 
     Festival, highlighting the accomplishments of the United 
     States in science and engineering;
       (4) encourages families and children to participate in the 
     activities and exhibits of the USA Science & Engineering 
     Festival that will occur in Washington, DC, and across the 
     United States as satellite events of the festival; and
       (5) designates April 21 through April 27, 2014, as 
     ``National Science and Technology Week''.

                          ____________________