[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 216 (Wednesday, December 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9214-S9215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Ms. Rosen):
  S. 3398. A bill to amend the Student Support and Academic Enrichment 
Grant program to promote career awareness in accounting as part of a 
well-rounded STEM educational experience; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the STEM Education in 
Accounting Act with my colleague Senator Rosen. Our bill would 
recognize accounting as part of a well-rounded STEM education and allow 
school districts to use their Federal education

[[Page S9215]]

block grant resources to develop and improve instruction in accounting. 
It also aims to introduce more students to accounting and improve 
career awareness and workforce diversity in the field. In today's 
rapidly changing world, improving students' access to a STEM-based 
curriculum is increasingly vital to ensure they are prepared to succeed 
in the 21st-century workforce.
  Mathematics--the ``M'' in ``STEM''--is a critical skill that can help 
students unlock countless doors to high-paying, in-demand fields. One 
of those doors leads to the accounting profession, whose work has a 
direct impact on employers, employees, retirees, investors, and the 
global economy. Certified professional accountants, or CPAs, play a key 
role in providing capital markets with confidence in financial 
reporting. Modern accounting increasingly requires cutting-edge math 
and technology skills, including IT auditing, artificial intelligence, 
data analytics, and cyber security, to keep up with the market's needs.
  Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which is current law, school 
districts may use funds from the Student Support and Academic 
Enrichment Program to support a host of curricular and extracurricular 
activities that deliver a well-rounded education to students in all 
grade levels. Specifically, the STEM Education in Accounting Act would 
add ``activities to promote the development, implementation, and 
strengthening of programs to teach accounting'' to the list of courses 
and activities supported by this flexible block grant. Our bill would 
also promote high-quality accounting instruction for members of groups 
underrepresented in the accounting profession.
  Encouraging a robust pipeline of future accounting professionals is 
paramount. I encourage my colleagues to join us in supporting this bill 
to promote accounting education, improve students' finance skills, and 
strengthen the pipeline of future accountants, who play such a vital 
role in our financial system.

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