[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 85 (Monday, May 17, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2387-H2390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RURAL STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH ACT
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 210) to coordinate Federal research and development efforts
focused on STEM education and workforce development in rural areas,
including the development and application of new technologies to
support and improve rural STEM education, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 210
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Rural STEM Education
Research Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The supply of STEM workers is not keeping pace with the
rapidly evolving needs of the public and private sector,
resulting in a deficit often referred to as a STEM skills
shortage.
(2) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United
States will need one million additional STEM professionals
than it is on track to produce in the coming decade.
(3) Many STEM occupations offer higher wages, more
opportunities for advancement, and a higher degree of job
security than non-STEM jobs.
(4) The 60,000,000 individuals in the United States who
live in rural settings are significantly under-represented in
STEM.
(5) According to the National Center for Education
Statistics, nine million students in the United States--
nearly 20 percent of the total K-12 population--attend rural
schools, and for reasons ranging from teacher quality to
shortages of resources, these students often have fewer
opportunities for high-quality STEM learning than their peers
in the Nation's urban and suburban schools.
(6) Rural areas represent one of the most promising, yet
underutilized, opportunities for STEM education to impact
workforce development and regional innovation, including
agriculture.
(7) The study of agriculture, food, and natural resources
involves biology, engineering, physics, chemistry, math,
geology, computer science, and other scientific fields.
(8) Employment in computer and information technology
occupations is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to
2029. To help meet this demand, it is important rural
students have the opportunity to acquire computing skills
through exposure to computer science learning in grades Pre-K
through 12 and in informal learning settings.
(9) More than 293,000,000 individuals in the United States
use high-speed broadband to work, learn, access healthcare,
and operate their businesses, while 19,000,000 individuals in
the United States still lack access to high-speed broadband.
Rural areas are hardest hit, with over 26 percent of
individuals in rural areas in the United States lacking
access to high-speed broadband compared to 1.7 percent of
individuals in urban areas in the United States.
SEC. 3. NIST ENGAGEMENT WITH RURAL COMMUNITIES.
(a) MEP Outreach.--Section 25 of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278k) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (6), by striking ``community colleges and
area career and technical education schools'' and inserting
the following: ``secondary schools (as defined in section
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 7801)), community colleges, and area career and
technical education schools, including those in underserved
and rural communities,''; and
(B) in paragraph (7)--
(i) by striking ``and local colleges'' and inserting the
following: ``local high schools and local colleges, including
those in underserved and rural communities,''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or other applied learning
opportunities'' after ``apprenticeships''; and
(2) in subsection (d)(3) by striking ``, community
colleges, and area career and technical education schools,''
and inserting the following: ``and local high schools,
community colleges, and area career and technical education
schools, including those in underserved and rural
communities,''.
(b) Rural Connectivity Prize Competition.--
(1) Prize competition.--Pursuant to section 24 of the
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3719), the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under
Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology (referred
to in this subsection as the ``Secretary''), shall, subject
to appropriations, carry out a program to award prizes
competitively to stimulate research and development of
creative technologies in order to deploy affordable and
reliable broadband connectivity to underserved rural
communities.
(2) Plan for deployment in rural communities.--Each
proposal submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include a
plan for deployment of the technology that is the subject of
such proposal in an underserved rural community.
(3) Prize amount.--In carrying out the program under
paragraph (1), the Secretary may award not more than a total
of $5,000,000 to one or more winners of the prize
competition.
(4) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which
a prize is awarded under the prize competition, the Secretary
shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report
that describes the winning proposal of the prize competition.
(5) Consultation.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (a), the Secretary may consult with the heads of
relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
SEC. 4. NITR-D BROADBAND WORKING GROUP.
Title I of the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (15
U.S.C. 5511 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 103. BROADBAND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP.
``(a) In General.--The Director shall establish a broadband
research and development working group to address national
research challenges and opportunities for improving broadband
access and adoption across the United States.
``(b) Activities.--The working group shall identify and
coordinate key research priorities for addressing broadband
access and adoption, including--
``(1) promising research areas;
``(2) requirements for data collection and sharing;
``(3) opportunities for better alignment and coordination
across Federal agencies and external stakeholders; and
``(4) input on the development of new Federal policies and
programs to enhance data collection and research.
``(c) Coordination.--The working group shall coordinate, as
appropriate, with the Rural Broadband Integration Working
Group established under section 6214 of the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) and the National
Institute of Food and Agriculture of the Department of
Agriculture.
``(d) Report.--The working group shall report to Congress
on their activities as part of the annual report submitted
under section 101(a)(2)(D).
``(e) Sunset.--The authority to carry out this section
shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of
enactment of the Rural STEM Education Act.''.
SEC. 5. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES EVALUATION.
(a) Study.--Not later than 12 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall enter into an
agreement with the National Academy of Sciences under which
the National Academy agrees to conduct an evaluation and
assessment that--
(1) evaluates the quality and quantity of current Federal
programming and research directed at examining STEM education
for students in grades Pre-K through 12 and workforce
development in rural areas;
(2) assesses the impact of the scarcity of broadband
connectivity in rural communities has on STEM and technical
literacy for students in grades Pre-K through 12 in rural
areas;
(3) assesses the core research and data needed to
understand the challenges rural areas are facing in providing
quality STEM education and workforce development; and
(4) makes recommendations for action at the Federal, State,
and local levels for improving STEM education for students in
grades Pre-K through 12 and workforce development in rural
areas.
(b) Report to Director.--The agreement entered into under
subsection (a) shall require the National Academy of
Sciences, not later than 24 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, to submit to the Director a report on
the study conducted under such subsection, including the
National Academy's findings and recommendations.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director to carry out this section
$1,000,000 for fiscal year 2022.
SEC. 6. GAO REVIEW.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study on the engagement of rural populations in
Federal STEM programs and submit to Congress a report that
includes--
(1) an assessment of how Federal STEM education programs
are serving rural populations;
(2) a description of initiatives carried out by Federal
agencies that are targeted at supporting STEM education in
rural areas;
(3) an assessment of what is known about the impact and
effectiveness of Federal investments in STEM education
programs that are targeted to rural areas; and
(4) an assessment of challenges that state and Federal STEM
education programs face in reaching rural population centers.
[[Page H2388]]
SEC. 7. CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH EPSCOR.
Section 517(f)(2) of the America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 1862p-9(f)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' at the end;
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) to increase the capacity of rural communities to
provide quality STEM education and STEM workforce development
programming to students, and teachers; and''.
SEC. 8. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION RURAL STEM RESEARCH
ACTIVITIES.
(a) Preparing Rural STEM Educators.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall provide grants on a
merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher
education or nonprofit organizations (or a consortium
thereof) for research and development to advance innovative
approaches to support and sustain high-quality STEM teaching
in rural schools.
(2) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be
used for the research and development activities referred to
in paragraph (1), which may include--
(i) engaging rural educators of students in grades Pre-K
through 12 in professional learning opportunities to enhance
STEM knowledge, including computer science, and develop best
practices;
(ii) supporting research on effective STEM teaching
practices in rural settings, including the use of rubrics and
mastery-based grading practices to assess student performance
when employing the transdisciplinary teaching approach for
STEM disciplines;
(iii) designing and developing pre-service and in-service
training resources to assist such rural educators in adopting
transdisciplinary teaching practices across STEM courses;
(iv) coordinating with local partners to adapt STEM
teaching practices to leverage local natural and community
assets in order to support in-place learning in rural areas;
(v) providing hands-on training and research opportunities
for rural educators described in clause (i) at Federal
Laboratories, institutions of higher education, or in
industry;
(vi) developing training and best practices for educators
who teach multiple grade levels within a STEM discipline;
(vii) designing and implementing professional development
courses and experiences, including mentoring, for rural
educators described in clause (i) that combine face-to-face
and online experiences; and
(viii) any other activity the Director determines will
accomplish the goals of this subsection.
(B) Rural stem collaborative.--The Director may establish a
pilot program of regional cohorts in rural areas that will
provide peer support, mentoring, and hands-on research
experiences for rural STEM educators of students in grades
Pre-K through 12, in order to build an ecosystem of
cooperation among educators, researchers, academia, and local
industry.
(b) Broadening Participation of Rural Students in STEM.--
(1) In general.--The Director shall provide grants on a
merit-reviewed, competitive basis to institutions of higher
education or nonprofit organizations (or a consortium
thereof) for--
(A) research and development of programming to identify the
barriers rural students face in accessing high-quality STEM
education; and
(B) development of innovative solutions to improve the
participation and advancement of rural students in grades
Pre-K through 12 in STEM studies.
(2) Use of funds.--
(A) In general.--Grants awarded under this section shall be
used for the research and development activities referred to
in paragraph (1), which may include--
(i) developing partnerships with community colleges to
offer advanced STEM course work, including computer science,
to rural high school students;
(ii) supporting research on effective STEM practices in
rural settings;
(iii) implementing a school-wide STEM approach;
(iv) improving the National Science Foundation's Advanced
Technology Education program's coordination and engagement
with rural communities;
(v) collaborating with existing community partners and
networks, such as the cooperative research and extension
services of the Department of Agriculture and youth serving
organizations like 4-H, after school STEM programs, and
summer STEM programs, to leverage community resources and
develop place-based programming;
(vi) connecting rural school districts and institutions of
higher education, to improve precollegiate STEM education and
engagement;
(vii) supporting partnerships that offer hands-on inquiry-
based science activities, including coding, and access to lab
resources for students studying STEM in grades Pre-K through
12 in a rural area;
(viii) evaluating the role of broadband connectivity and
its associated impact on the STEM and technology literacy of
rural students;
(ix) building capacity to support extracurricular STEM
programs in rural schools, including mentor-led engagement
programs, STEM programs held during nonschool hours, STEM
networks, makerspaces, coding activities, and competitions;
and
(x) any other activity the Director determines will
accomplish the goals of this subsection.
(c) Application.--An applicant seeking a grant under
subsection (a) or (b) shall submit an application at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Director may require. The application may include the
following:
(1) A description of the target population to be served by
the research activity or activities for which such grant is
sought.
(2) A description of the process for recruitment and
selection of students, educators, or schools from rural areas
to participate in such activity or activities.
(3) A description of how such activity or activities may
inform efforts to promote the engagement and achievement of
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM studies.
(4) In the case of a proposal consisting of a partnership
or partnerships with one or more rural schools and one or
more researchers, a plan for establishing a sustained
partnership that is jointly developed and managed, draws from
the capacities of each partner, and is mutually beneficial.
(d) Partnerships.--In awarding grants under subsection (a)
or (b), the Director shall--
(1) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include or
partner with a nonprofit organization or an institution of
higher education (or a consortium thereof) that has extensive
experience and expertise in increasing the participation of
rural students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM;
(2) encourage applicants which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include or
partner with a consortium of rural schools or rural school
districts; and
(3) encourage applications which, for the purpose of the
activity or activities funded through the grant, include
commitments from school principals and administrators to
making reforms and activities proposed by the applicant a
priority.
(e) Evaluations.--All proposals for grants under
subsections (a) and (b) shall include an evaluation plan that
includes the use of outcome oriented measures to assess the
impact and efficacy of the grant. Each recipient of a grant
under this section shall include results from these
evaluative activities in annual and final projects.
(f) Accountability and Dissemination.--
(1) Evaluation required.--The Director shall evaluate the
portfolio of grants awarded under subsections (a) and (b).
Such evaluation shall--
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and tools to assess the
results of research conducted under such grants and identify
best practices; and
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate the findings of
research resulting from the activity or activities funded
through such grants with the findings of other research on
rural student's pursuit of degrees or careers in STEM.
(2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after
the completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the
Director shall submit to Congress and make widely available
to the public a report that includes--
(A) the results of the evaluation; and
(B) any recommendations for administrative and legislative
action that could optimize the effectiveness of the grants
awarded under this section.
(g) Report by Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science
and Engineering.--
(1) In general.--As part of the first report required by
section 36(e) of the Science and Engineering Equal
Opportunities Act (42 U.S.C. 1885c(e)) transmitted to
Congress after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering
shall include--
(A) a description of past and present policies and
activities of the Foundation to encourage full participation
of students in rural communities in science, mathematics,
engineering, and computer science fields; and
(B) an assessment of trends in participation of rural
students in grades Pre-K through 12 in Foundation activities,
and an assessment of the policies and activities of the
Foundation, along with proposals for new strategies or the
broadening of existing successful strategies towards
facilitating the goals of this Act.
(2) Technical correction.--
(A) In general.--Section 313 of the American Innovation and
Competitiveness Act (Public Law 114-329) is amended by
striking ``Section 204(e) of the National Science Foundation
Authorization Act of 1988'' and inserting ``Section 36(e) of
the Science and Engineering Equal Opportunities Act''.
(B) Applicability.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall take effect as if included in the enactment of section
313 of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act
(Public Law 114-329).
(h) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the
Director shall, for purposes of enhancing program
effectiveness and avoiding duplication of activities,
consult, cooperate, and coordinate with the programs and
policies of other relevant Federal agencies.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director--
(1) $8,000,000 to carry out the activities under subsection
(a) for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026; and
[[Page H2389]]
(2) $12,000,000 to carry out the activities under
subsection (b) for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.
SEC. 9. RESEARCHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONLINE EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--The Director shall, subject to
appropriations, award competitive grants to institutions of
higher education or nonprofit organizations (or a consortium
thereof, which may include a private sector partner) to
conduct research on online STEM education courses for rural
communities.
(b) Research Areas.--The research areas eligible for
funding under this subsection shall include--
(1) evaluating the learning and achievement of rural
students in grades Pre-K through 12 in STEM subjects;
(2) understanding how computer-based and online
professional development courses and mentor experiences can
be integrated to meet the needs of educators of rural
students in grades Pre-K through 12;
(3) combining computer-based and online STEM education and
training with apprenticeships, mentoring, or other applied
learning arrangements;
(4) leveraging online programs to supplement STEM studies
for rural students that need physical and academic
accommodation; and
(5) any other activity the Director determines will
accomplish the goals of this subsection.
(c) Evaluations.--All proposals for grants under this
section shall include an evaluation plan that includes the
use of outcome oriented measures to assess the impact and
efficacy of the grant. Each recipient of a grant under this
section shall include results from these evaluative
activities in annual and final projects.
(d) Accountability and Dissemination.--
(1) Evaluation required.--The Director shall evaluate the
portfolio of grants awarded under this section. Such
evaluation shall--
(A) use a common set of benchmarks and tools to assess the
results of research conducted under such grants and identify
best practices; and
(B) to the extent practicable, integrate findings from
activities carried out pursuant to research conducted under
this section, with respect to the pursuit of careers and
degrees in STEM, with those activities carried our pursuant
to other research on serving rural students and communities.
(2) Report on evaluations.--Not later than 180 days after
the completion of the evaluation under paragraph (1), the
Director shall submit to Congress and make widely available
to the public a report that includes--
(A) the results of the evaluation; and
(B) any recommendations for administrative and legislative
action that could optimize the effectiveness of the grants
awarded under this section.
(e) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the
Director shall, for purposes of enhancing program
effectiveness and avoiding duplication of activities,
consult, cooperate, and coordinate with the programs and
policies of other relevant Federal agencies.
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation established under section 2
of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C.
1861).
(2) Federal laboratory.--The term ``Federal laboratory''
has the meaning given such term in section 4 of the
Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3703).
(3) Foundation.--The term ``Foundation'' means the National
Science Foundation established under section 2 of the
National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861).
(4) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given
such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(5) STEM.--The term ``STEM'' has the meaning given the term
in section 2 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of
2010 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note).
(6) STEM education.--The term ``STEM education'' has the
meaning given the term in section 2 of the STEM Education Act
of 2015 (42 U.S.C. 6621 note).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oregon.
General Leave
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on H.R. 210, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 210, the Rural STEM Education
Research Act. I thank Ranking Member Lucas for introducing this
important bill.
Every State in the country is filled with students who have an
incredible curiosity for STEM and the potential to make important
contributions in these fields. But too often, students are left behind
and are unable to fulfill their vast potential simply because of where
they live.
Students in rural areas have long faced obstacles to receiving a
high-quality STEM education. Lack of broadband access, for example, has
long been a barrier.
Schools in rural communities often struggle to access the equipment
and facilities needed to provide students with hands-on STEM
experiences. Research shows that hands-on experiences help inspire
scientific curiosity and a love of STEM in students.
Teachers are trying their best, but they have limited resources and
support. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic and the
transition to remote learning have further exacerbated these
inequalities.
Students and teachers in rural communities have worked hard to adapt,
but they need help. We have an opportunity not just to recover from
what was lost during the pandemic but to ensure a better STEM education
future for rural students.
The Rural STEM Education Act provides for research and development to
increase access to STEM education opportunities in rural schools and to
provide teachers with the resources they need to teach more
effectively.
The bill also directs NIST to develop a prize competition to advance
research and development in support of expanded broadband access.
This bill further provides for assessments of Federal investments in
rural STEM education to be conducted by the National Academies and the
Government Accountability Office.
This bill is an important step toward improving STEM education in
rural communities across America and will help build a 21st century
STEM workforce that will help the U.S. remain a global leader in
science and technology.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 210, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 210, the Rural STEM
Education Research Act, a bill that passed this House with resounding
bipartisan support in the 116th Congress, and I hope it will do so
again today.
I am pleased to be leading this important bill, and I thank
Chairwoman Johnson for her support.
Now more than ever, America's prosperity and security depend on an
effective and inclusive science, technology, engineering, math, and
computer science workforce, or STEM.
Nationally, 80 percent of the fastest-growing occupations depend upon
mastery of STEM skills, and the number of STEM jobs is growing three
times faster than non-STEM jobs. Over the next decade, the STEM
shortage is anticipated to reach 1 million positions, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To succeed in this job market, our students need to be equipped with
solid skills in science and engineering. Meeting this demand starts in
the classroom.
Over 9 million students in the United States, nearly 20 percent of
the total K-12 population, attend rural schools. In Oklahoma, that
number is even higher; one-third of our students attend rural schools.
These students face a number of barriers to accessing high-quality
STEM learning, including a shortage of trained science and math
teachers, a lack of access to advanced STEM courses, and few local
university and industry partners.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen further
proof that rural students are at a disadvantage, given the
unreliability or nonexistent broadband access many struggle with while
distance learning.
The Rural STEM Education Research Act supports research and
development activities to improve our understanding of the challenges
rural communities are facing, and it takes steps to address those
challenges in providing and sustaining quality STEM education programs.
[[Page H2390]]
H.R. 210 helps develop better practices for accessing and using
computer-based and online STEM education courses. It will help schools
combine online STEM education with hands-on training and
apprenticeships to give students both theoretical and practical
understanding of math and science skills.
The bill will also take steps to address one of the key obstacles to
rural STEM education, a lack of broadband access. Of the 21 million
Americans who lack access to broadband, the majority live in rural
areas. With the increase in online learning, we need to prioritize
connectivity for all students.
This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology
to establish a prize competition to stimulate innovations in
technologies to deploy broadband connectivity to underserved rural
communities.
It also establishes a working group to set key research priorities
for improving broadband access so rural communities can enjoy the same
connectedness as the rest of the country.
This bill includes a number of provisions to help provide rural
educators with the tools they need to be successful, both in the
classroom and online. It supports opportunities for rural educators to
enhance their own STEM education, such as training in computer science
or research opportunities at Federal labs and universities. These
experiences will provide rural educators with high-quality STEM skills
they can take back to the classrooms and pass on to their students.
Lastly, the major focus of this bill is broadening the participation
of rural students in STEM. One way we can do this is by emphasizing
place-based learning, which gives students direct access to the STEM
knowledge present in their communities and local environment.
Place-based learning connects students to the science that is right
outside their doors, whether it is studying animal science with FFA,
learning about local ecosystems out on the prairies and in forests, or
developing the technological skills required to operate increasingly
complex and computerized farm equipment. That direct experience engages
students and helps them understand that STEM skills matter to everyone,
not just scientists in a white lab coat.
Taken together, the measures in this bill will make great strides to
improve rural STEM education. I believe rural areas represent one of
the greatest, yet most underutilized, opportunities for talented
students to enhance the United States' future STEM workforce.
I am pleased that this bill has been endorsed by a number of
stakeholder groups: STEM Education Coalition, Afterschool Alliance,
Battelle and STEM-X, National Science Teaching Association, American
Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Chemical
Society, American Geophysical Union, Human Factors and Ergonomics
Society, Association of American Universities, Microsoft, Girl Scouts
of the USA, National FFA Organization, and Association of Public and
Land-grant Universities.
I again thank Chairwoman Johnson and her staff for working with me on
this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to
better STEM education for America's rural students, and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee and the Committee on Education and Labor, I want
to thank Mr. Lucas for mentioning not only broadband but also place-
based learning. I represent several rural school districts, and I
appreciate this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Meijer).
Mr. MEIJER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 210, the
Rural STEM Education Research Act.
More than 9 million students in the U.S., nearly 20 percent of the K-
12 population, attend rural schools. For reasons ranging from teacher
quality to shortages of resources, these students often have fewer
opportunities for high-quality STEM learning than their peers in urban
and suburban schools.
Rural areas, including those in the Third District of Michigan,
represent one of the greatest, yet underutilized, chances for STEM
education to impact the workforce. It is especially important that we
correct this in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic when we are facing
serious research and development labor market shortages.
H.R. 210 would increase STEM education opportunities for rural
communities, ensuring the option to learn is not dependent on your ZIP
Code. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Iowa (Mr. Feenstra).
Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, in this era of scientific and
technological innovation, it has never been more important to ensure
our students have access to quality STEM education programs, especially
in rural communities.
Implementing high-speed, reliable broadband goes hand in hand with
this goal.
This is why I urge my colleagues to support the Rural STEM Education
Research Act. Both STEM education and quality broadband access are
critical to the future success and revitalization of rural America.
{time} 1630
I am hopeful that this legislation will break down barriers rural
Iowans face in receiving STEM education that is both forward-thinking
and long-lasting for our rural communities. This bill will also help us
identify the technological and logistical challenges we still must
overcome to provide broadband to every last acre of land.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma, Ranking Member
Lucas, for this outstanding bill and important piece of legislation.
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself
such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I, once again, thank Chairwoman Johnson for her support
of this legislation. Whether you live in Dallas, Texas, or Cheyenne,
Oklahoma, every student should have the opportunity to gain STEM skills
and to compete for the jobs of the future.
The Rural STEM Education Research Act gives teachers better tools to
teach science and math, leverages local resources to engage students in
key subjects, and addresses the lack of broadband access in rural
communities. This important legislation passed the House with strong
bipartisan support last Congress. I hope it will do so again today.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill today,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, I once again thank Ranking Member Lucas
for his work on this legislation. I thank Chairwoman Johnson for
supporting it, and I urge its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 210, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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