[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 25, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E246]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       STEM EDUCATION ACT OF 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. TONY CARDENAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 24, 2015

  Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I offer today my full support for H.R. 
1020, the STEM Education Act of 2015. In an increasingly technology-
based world, businesses and other organizations continue to invest in, 
and rely heavily upon, information technology (IT) to increase 
efficiency, reduce costs, and safeguard information. The U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics projects that the high tech industry will be among the 
fastest growing industries in the coming years. We must do more to 
ensure that our youth are properly prepared and educated to compete in 
the job market of the future, so that the United States can continue to 
be an international innovation leader. Unfortunately, our education 
system has been slow to adapt to the growing demand for computer 
scientists and software engineers. By 2020, there will be an estimated 
1.4 million computer programming jobs, with only 400,000 American 
computer science students to fill those jobs.
   With globalization increasing competition for high paying jobs, I 
cannot stress enough the importance and value of a strong and 
innovative computer science education in today's economy. Computer 
programming jobs are growing at twice the national average rate of job 
growth and computer science remains one of the highest paying college 
degrees, more than doubling the national median annual wage. These jobs 
also provide Americans with a living-wage and an opportunity to be 
financially secure. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 
median annual wage in 2010 for computer programmers was $71,380 while 
the median annual wage was $33,840 for all workers.
   I support H.R. 1020, because it continues the push for STEM programs 
to better prepare our youth for the computer programming jobs of the 
future so that the United States can continue being a world leader in 
innovation.

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